Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2
by Devi77
Summary: Here's my continuing compilation and sequel to Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order. This time, there are more adventures and a lot of things for Sam and the others in the future.
1. A Simple Elder of the Order

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 1: A Simple Elder of the Order**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It had been two months since I stopped the Leviathan threat on Gehenna as I was hard at work in my office at home. On a chilly November day, I was most likely to be ready for the first holiday recess in the Order of Letters as I was also ready to prepare Thanksgiving dinner at the castle. After finishing my work, I went downstairs as I saw Reiko sitting by the fireplace in the sitting room. She was knitting some booties as she was sitting on a cushion. I saw her just being content as I was seeing her swollen stomach protruding through her kimono. She was in her second trimester of her pregnancy as she was filling out nicely. I was also grateful that she was safe from harm as I sat down next to her. I was loving every moment of her as I saw the baby bump up close. Even though I was sitting next to Reiko, I felt her grab my hand as she placed it on her stomach. In that split second, I felt movement as the twins were becoming active, for they were growing really nicely.

"They're moving," I said.

"They're growing inside me, but they will take longer before they're born," said Reiko as she was also feeling the movement inside of her body. "I can feel them kicking." I saw her giggle as she felt the babies inside of her moving around. "Boys, not so rough."

"They sure know how to be fussy."

"Sammy, tomorow's the start of the first holiday recess. I can't wait to cook for everybody."

"I know that you wanna cook, but you need to rest up for a while. Don't worry, I'll be in the kitchen non-stop when some of our family members stop by for the holidays."

"I'm hoping that they would and besides, we might expect some company soon enough."

I stayed by Reiko's side as she continued to knit. Even though autumn was ending, it was almost time for winter here in this part of Alecrast. When I got up, I went outside in the backyard as I saw the snow falling down on the trees. It was the early start of winter as I was relieved that I wasn't on Gehenna anymore. I only wanted winter to be in season here on Alecrast as I lived through the freezing weather on Gehenna over the years. It wasn't long until I saw Bobby sitting on the porch as he saw the snow falling all over the ground. It was a godsend that he had fur all over him as he didn't freeze like we did, for he had been reborn as a cat two thousand years ago.

"It's ironic that this weather's nice," he said as he was twitching his tail. "At least it isn't like my old place where the junkyard is."

"This place near Kanto Village gets a good abundance of snow every season," I said. "I remember it very well. I would venture outside in my snowsuit just to play in the yard and make snowmen or perhaps go out sledding with Dean on the hill."

"You sure do have a lot of memories here."

"Dean and I were content here until Sylvanus showed up and took us away to Gehenna all those years ago. Sometimes, I hated being there, but when I went there again two months ago, I realized that I was needed or else the people in the fort would've been eaten by the Leviathans that ran the underground SucroCorp compound in the cave."

"According to Ginryu, you once viewed yourself as worthless and not being special enough, but you used that raw power in you to save the people that needed you the most."

"Yeah, but I also have a lot on my mind due to the responsibilities that I have on me. I can't abandon Reiko because of the pregnancy that she has in her. In the past two months, she got through the first trimester and now she's in the second one. It's a complicated one, but we have to go through with it."

"Sam, Reiko isn't one of those aristocratic snobs that come from Kaijirin who need high maintenance. She's a woman who is carrying your offspring in her. She's got some biscuits in the oven, but she's no slouch. You worry about her needs so much that you run ragged at the end of the day."

"I know that I run ragged, but I care about her very much. I'll always be there for her and I really mean it."

Bobby continued to stare at the snow as it was falling on the ground in bunches. We were watching it cover the backyard as we were most likely to see some visitors make a snowman in the future. When I stepped out with my boots on, I scooped up the snow in my hands as I was staring at it. Even though I felt a little resentment towards the wintry snow that appeared on Gehenna, I was enjoying it here on Alecrast as I was seeing the rest of it fall on the ground. I smiled as I was home here so I would never go back to Gehenna again..., well in small visits that is...

* * *

The Outskirts were teeming with suspicious activity as there had been reports of possible maulings in the area. Even though some of the travellers were scared to leave their homes, there had been reports of strange people that have been causing trouble as the attacks continued with a vengeance. Lo and behold, there were two travellers that were on their way to the northern region where Kanto Village was. The two travellers were members of the Order of Letters as they removed their hoods while they got off their giant wolves. One of them was a High Elf as he had lavender hair and hazel eyes while the other one was an Orcress as she had green skin with black hair and blue eyes. Most Orcs were often brutish and ape-like as they had evolved over the years when the Order of Letters staked their claim into protecting those that fell into harm's way, but they had intermarried with different humanoid species, such as humans or Elves. Still, this unlikely match-up was something that was made at the behest of the Rakuen Priesthood as both the High Elf and Orcress had spotted an abandoned farmhouse complete with a barn that was next to it.

"So, we're on the trail of our possible creatures that have been scaring the travellers on the outskirts," said the Orcress as she was using a pair of binoculars. "And here they are..." She spots some of the people coming back from a fresh kill as she had a suspicion about them. "It's _them_, alright."

"A nest of vampires...," said the High Elf. "They pass as Terran, but they get their kicks into feasting on their blood and the rest of us throughout the planetary system."

"My father was no stranger into dealing with them, for he deemed to be a nuisance."

"Nagodor's also a seasoned member of the Order and he even told us about them once. They're not like the standard one in the books and film lore. These monsters came from the time of the Elder Days, but they have retractable teeth above the gum line of their normal ones."

"And the only way to do away with them is by cutting their heads off." The Orcress puts away her binoculars as she got out her sword and darts. "Let's wrap this one up, Shotaro. Those vampires will be coming out in the evening soon."

"Tenar..., be careful..."

"I'm always careful."

And so, the High Elf and Orcress were ready to shut down the vampire nest as they were ready to storm into the abandoned farmhouse. It was then when they found several young girls being tethered to the ceiling as they were meant for having their blood taken out of them. The two hunters spotted the vampires that were in the middle of throwing a party as they were ready to gnaw at them. The High Elf attacked first as he got out his crossbow and fired a dart at one of them when it fell to the floor.

"So, you want some more, don't you?" he said as he fired three more darts at the vampires that were coming. "And for your information, the darts are tipped with Dead Man's Blood, which is something that stuns you suckheads."

In that moment, Shotaro drew out his sword as he sliced off the heads of the vampires that he stunned. With two more coming, he noticed Tenar taking out her own sword as she sliced off the heads and was ready to free the girls that were captured in here. By the time the girls were free, they ran outside as they saw several village policemen appear near the farmhouse. Shotaro and Tenar were aware of what they noticed as they ran out of the farmhouse before being spotted as they got on their wolves and fled. The snow was falling in the night sky as they were getting out of there before getting caught under suspicion. Even though they took out the vampire nest, they didn't have time to deal with the law enforcement around the Outskirts right now.

"That was a close call," said Tenar.

"The locals can deal with the rest," said Shotaro. "Right now, we have to report to the nearest Order of Letters affiliation before the snow gets too bad."

"I heard from my father that Winchester Castle's been active again."

"Winchester Castle is a derelict, but I heard from some of the higher-ups that John Winchester's second son took over it, but the first son stood to his guns in being a soldier in the Hunter Corps."

"There's also another catch in why the second son of John Winchester is in charge of the castle."

"Let me guess, he went in and married my sister, didn't he?"

"The Rakuen Priesthood set them up for a reason, for they were both compatible to one another just like I was compatible to _you_."

"There's also the presence of the Demon War and the Leviathan threat that have been going on for a while now."

"Shotaro..., about your sister and our Terran brother-in-law... They're expecting their first offspring soon, but the demons and other radical forces fear their presence due to the fact that the raw power that the new Laird of the land would put shift the tide in the planetary system that we know."

"So, I'm gonna be an uncle, but if anything happens to Reiko and her new family, I will put my life on the line to defend them from whatever's been hurled at them."

Shotaro and Tenar were riding out of the Outskirts as they were on their way towards Kanto Village. As hunters and members of the Order of Letters, they had to bring in the report that they had as they rode their wolves into the road that they needed to go to...

* * *

The main headquarters of the Order was closing up for the holiday recess as Ginryu remained in his office. In the past two months, he had been keeping Crowley under house arrest as he was most likely to stop and visit him soon enough. The other members of the Order were getting ready to go to the Thanksgiving recess as Ginryu watched them leave in their spaceships that took off so readily. It was at that moment that he was finding himself standing in front of someone familiar. It was his twin brother, Ryosuke, as he was the same age as him, but he hailed from a different planetary system. Even though both brothers maintained their part in establishing the Order of Letters throughout the stars, they had their own businesses as they also had to discuss the troubling threats that became imminent.

"Hello, Brother," said Ryosuke.

"I take it that you travelled through the wormhole from the outer planetary system," said Ginryu.

"Familial matters come next, but first, we have to discuss the big problem that both inner and outer planetary systems face."

"It's the Demon War, isn't it?"

"It's not only that, it's the pattern of what Crowley's ousters left in their wake."

"What kind of pattern?"

"It's the same thing back in the Elder Days, but far worse. There are even the presence of Leviathans in both our galaxies that we need to look out for."

"I'm well aware that SucroCorp made a comeback after being shut down on Harkonnen ten years ago. This time, it's extending its reach from the place that it came from. So far, three threats had been prevented: twice on Gehenna and once here on Alecrast."

"I had my fair share of those monsters there the moment they were exiled from Harkonnen ten years ago, but that doesn't mean they can't come back with an appetite for both vengeance and hunger. There's also the factor of Sam and Reiko's offspring being a threat to any form of monster and radical group that sees them as an obstacle. There's also a prophecy that the youngest child of Sam and Reiko will be the most powerful of all. That's what would happen, but it would take a few more births just to do it."

"You view their presence and their vision a godsend in which they would balance the inner and outer planetary systems, but there's always the radical groups that are afraid of what they would do next."

Ginryu was aware of what Reiko and I would do next as he viewed us as something that would be a tipping point against the Demon War and other threats. Even Ryosuke was grateful that we weren't put into harm's way as there had been numerous threats all over the place. Speaking of Ryosuke, he came from the outer planetary system in which there were twelve planets just like the inner one. The twelve planets in the outer planetary system consisted of different races and atmospheres: the first planet, Assiah, was slightly closest to the sun as it was a desert planet. The second planet, Megiddo, was a place of religious tones dedicated to the Terran God. The third planet, Drakonus, was like Alecrast, but it was more sophisticated than it was. The fourth planet, Amarna, was a place of aristocrats and warriors that clung to the gods of old while maintaining the look of ancient Greece, Egypt, and Persia. The fifth planet, Claudius, was a place where Roman ties and customs were put in place along with a hint of Arab overtones. The sixth planet, Germanicus, was a place of trees and mountains in which various warrior and barbarian tribes roamed all over. The seventh planet, Britannicus, was a medieval planet that had many humanoid species like the ones in the inner planetary system. The eight planet, Tezuka, was a place of industry and fashion that was similar to Harkonnen in the inner planetary system. The ninth planet, Essos, was a place where exotic lands were often used for planting things for export and trade. The tenth planet, Sephos, was a place where various towers would be. The eleventh planet, Naigus, was a frozen place like Rietza and Gehenna, but it had minerals that were mined for profit. And finally, the twelfth planet in the outer planetary system, Corrino, was yet another frozen place, but it also became a hub for tourists as well. The outer planetary system was similar to the one here, but it would be a while before it was explored.

"Well, Ginryu, are you planning to visit the newest Elder in our arsenal?" asked Ryosuke.

"Sam and Reiko are most likely to be preparing Thanksgiving dinner by now," he said.

"Also, what about Crowley? You know that he can't be trusted while we go on holiday recess."

"Crowley's not into going out after being shot by one of the Children of Azazel. Still, they want his hide and if he's out in the open, they'll kill him. He has a part to play just like the rest of us."

Both Ginryu and Ryosuke were on their way to the holding cells as they were ready to visit the former King of Hell. By the time they came in, they spotted him in his bed with a virtual reality visor on his head. He was on cloud nine as he was busy taking in the scenery when the solitary confinement was getting to him. Even though he desired his freedom, he was secure in his cell as he didn't want to end up getting killed by either Abaddon's forces or the Children of Azazel. He may have been in a pickle, but he was in for a rude awakening from his captors.

"Hey, I was enjoying myself," he said as he felt the visor being taken off from his head.

"It's been a long time, Crowley," said Ryosuke as he had the visor in his hand.

"Ryosuke Ashizoka, I presume? You sure are a dead ringer for Moose 2.0's past life."

"Do not toy with me, Crowley. I've been working my ass off just to clean your mess and Ginryu's giving you the special treatment with this toy of his."

"It's better than being bored to..., you know..., death. By the way, I heard that the big giant baby and his team just put another dent in the big bads two months ago. That's one hell of a damper for the new CEO of SucroCorp."

"Midori Kurohana isn't someone that you can toy with that easily," said Ginryu. "She's also the head honcho of the Leviathans that have been lurking around and had tried miserably to expand into this planet and Gehenna. This threat can't be ignored, but there will be times when the monsters' downfall can commence at any time."

"Oh, come on..."

"Don't forget, there had been a sighting of a mysterious figure that had been helping Dean on his hunting missions. It's even rumored that it could be the legendary Totsuka from the Elder Days."

"I thought Abaddon got rid of him... or perhaps be reborn to travel around the galaxies just to give you blokes his craft."

"Remember _this_, Crowley, the monsters from the Elder Days may be roaming around, but that doesn't mean that you're their best friend. Besides, you can't rule Hell forever."

And so, Ginryu took the visor out of Ryosuke's hands as he gave it back to Crowley. By the time they left the cell, the former King of Hell put the visor back on as he was ready to indulge into the high life in virtual reality once again. He was enjoying himself to the fullest as he didn't become bored after all, but there would be a time when he would take the reins of power from his enemies and become the King of Hell once again, but not now...

* * *

I was in my office as I was expecting many members from the Hunter Corps to come and go. It had been a mess for me as I was going through the reports of what went on throughout the planetary system. To my shock, I heard a knock on the door as I got up and answered the door. It was then that I saw an Orc come in as he was simply someone that came from the Southern Stride, where the MacVicker Clan lived at. Like the Orc that helped me in Hakuro Hollow, this one was also a member of the Order as he was no stranger to going up against monsters that have been crawling all over the place. From the looks of him, he was dressed in winter garb as he looked regal due to his status as a Laird from the south, for he was also someone that was aware of the monsters from the Elder Days just like the rest of us.

"I take it that you have business," I said.

"It's been 'ectic the moment those buggers 'ave been flying around in a plume of smoke," said the Orc as he spoke with a Cockney accent. "It's been ages since a Winchester came back to 'is place so readily."

"I know who you are, sir. You're Nagodor Thravin from the Southern Stride, which is pretty much MacVicker territory."

"By the way, 'ow does it feel to be an expectant father 'oo worries about 'is wife all the time?"

"It feels hectic, but I'll manage. I also take it that your daughter's a member of the Order just like you, isn't she?"

"Tenar's no slouch since she was trained into 'unting scum that appear out of nowhere, but the demons are not somethin' that can be taken lightly."

"I know all about it. According to Ginryu, Crowley's been under house arrest since he turned himself in. As for the ones that deposed him, they're still at large."

"Don't take those yellow-eyed buggers lightly, mate. I've seen them and they do a lot of 'arm just like that Elf 'oo carries that infernal First Blade in 'is 'ands." Nagodor shows me a piece of tree bark as it was cut with the same weapon that he mentioned. "The First Blade ain't something that you can use as a trinket. I know for a fact that 'Ideyono's been 'angin' around with that demoness 'oo got brought back to life a 'undred years ago. I may not 'ave been there to see that bloke, mate, but I know what we're all dealin' with so far."

"Wait, are you saying that-"

"-Nagodor's a prophet of the Lord," said Castiel as he appeared out of nowhere. "He has forseen the damage that Hideyono had done while forming an alliance with Abaddon along with Sylvana and Severin. The Order of Letters may have left for holiday recess, but you of all people should prepare for what would be going down soon enough."

"Well, 'e's right about that one, mate," said Nagodor.

"There's also the factor of the Children of Azazel that you need to look into."

"They're still off the grid, but there's no telling when or where they would strike next," I said.

The fact about hearing the Children of Azazel's activities brewing sent me on edge as I couldn't ignore the fact that they were still out there in full force. The Demon War was one of the most horrendous issues that the Order of Letters has ever faced as we all had to keep on our toes in the long run. As usual, I was on point with the situations at hand as I simply became something that was more than just a simple member and Elder of the Order. I was keeping tabs on the reports and cataloguing that came here in my office as I was looking up on the lore from the Elder Days that had turned up in this planetary system. It was a very burdening job for me, but I was used to it, regardless of the matter at hand...

* * *

Shotaro and Tenar arrived in Kanto Village as they tethered their wolves to the posts while going into the general union to receive their pay stipend. After spending their days hunting for monsters that came in the time of the Elder Days, they were ready to head over to Winchester Castle where they needed to file their report. After getting their pay, they were on their way to the basic market as they were most likely to be supplying their wolves with the food that they needed before going back to the Southern Stride soon. Just as they were about to do so, they spotted Henry-John closing up the train station as he was ready to call it a day. Still, even though he was related to the MacVicker Clan, there had been simmering relations between his relative family and the one that was human.

"I take it that a half-breed from the MacVicker Clan's been sticking here of all places," said Shotaro as he got off of his wolf. "You also manage the train station around here while your mother's off running the train that comes and goes."

"I take it that you're part of the Order of Letters," said Henry-John. "Also, tomorow's the holiday recess in which many people are spending their Thanksgiving with their families."

"By the way, we're here to check in with the Elder that lives here," said Tenar.

"You mean Sam? He's in the castle prepping for the holidays just like all of us. I'm sure that he'll hear from you two directly."

"That reminds me..."

And so, Tenar got on her wolf first as Shotaro followed suit. They were on their way to Winchester Castle as planned when they had to report their findings to the nearest member of the Order of Letters about the activity that they had earlier...

* * *

I was hard at work as I was in the kitchen preparing tonight's dinner. It was the holiday recess as I was hard at work cooking up a roast beef brisket complete with some vegetables that were grown in the basement in the winter months. It was a godsend that a hydroponics lab was put there during the winter as it was something that was useful to us while staying here in this castle on Alecrast. After dealing with the business in my office with the affairs on my desk, I was hard at work again cooking dinner as I also had a feeling that Reiko would be hungry for it the moment that it would be done. To my shock, I heard the sound of people coming through the gate as they entered into the main house. Getting out of the kitchen, I ran into the main hall as I noticed Shotaro and Tenar approaching here while they removed their coats and cloaks along with their weapons. They were impressed that someone would be tending to this place as they saw me with an apron in front.

"Looks like you play the housekeeper instead of being a proper Elder," said Shotaro.

"Shotaro Mitani, I presume?" I said.

"I take it that you married Reiko and now you two are expecting a bun in the oven."

"Yes, but we're expecting twin boys."

"So, you've been working your ass off just to keep things in place," said Tenar.

"I do what I can, but there are times that I get so overwhelmed that I end up getting a fever."

"Sammy, what's going on?" asked Reiko as she entered into the main hall.

It was at that moment that my wife saw Shotaro and Tenar standing in front of us as they were ready to submit their reports here. She was always fond of her brother as he and Tenar were there for the night. It was also at that moment that we all heard the wind blowing as there was a blizzard approaching in which it would end covering up the forest along with Kanto Village. Still, we had to make sure that our guests were made welcome here as we all smelled the scent of the beef cooking in the oven. Still, dinner was cooking slowly as it would take another two hours to get done. By the time I got back in the kitchen, I was checking up on the meal as I noticed it becoming more flavorful when I smelled the spices and vegetables that were put into it. When I set up the timer again, I left the kitchen as I was making sure that the food won't burn. By the time I went into one of the lounges up on the fifth floor upstairs, I went into the room as I sat down by a table where a library was in. I was fond of libraries as I simply loved all the knowledge that I could muster. When I saw Reiko walk in, she was sitting next to me as she didn't want to leave my side not one bit.

I was feeling the movement of our offspring inside of Reiko's womb as I was happy with them all. I was grateful that I was paired with my wife as she was becoming more beautiful than ever due to the pregnancy that she was having. I loved every bit of her as I wanted to be with her the moment we bring our twin sons into the world. My vision of us creating something during our lovemaking had come into fruition as I even vowed to watch over them for the rest of my life. That was my own reason to make sure that nothing terrible would ever happen to my family, no matter what.

"There's gonna be a blizzard coming," I said as I saw the snow blowing out the window.

"I hope that everyone here in the Order are safe," said Reiko.

"I'm hoping so, too. Winter has come early this year."

"You've seen this snow before?"

"On Gehenna, it snowed every day and every month. All around me, I felt nothing but the bitter cold while spending my years growing up on that frozen wasteland. It was after the funeral of my father that Dean and I were taken away from here and off to that depressing planet. It snowed all the time, but I endured it every year past."

"You don't wanna go back to Gehenna, do you?"

"I'll always have a reason to despise that place due to what I endured, but there are times that I have to go there just in case the people in the fort are in danger. As a member of the Order and an Elder, it's my duty to catalogue things, see reports, and sometimes go to places that need an Elder's advice. Soon, our twin sons will be members of the Order as well as the rest of our future children. It's the least we can do for what we bear."

Reiko stood up as she went towards the window. The snow continued to fall as it was covering the trees. When I walked towards her, I put my arms around her as I even felt the baby bump that was protruding from her dress. I was happy. I was fully content. I was prepared to be supportive of what I made with my wife as I felt the babies inside of her womb moving. I was more than overjoyed as I was fully prepared to be a doting father and loving husband for the family that is there for me.

"Next month's Christmas," I said.

"Grandfather always celebrated that holiday," said Reiko.

"Christmas is a time when families celebrate the importance of family, charity, and kindness. It'll also be the first time in years on Alecrast that I celebrated this holiday coming up."

"Didn't you celebrate Christmas on Gehenna?"

"I celebrated it, but I was often put with the servants while the soldiers got most of the glory. I always wanted Dean to be one step ahead of me because of the fact he was older than me, but he always put it off. He was always saying to me that I had better potential because of what I had in me."

"Is it that jewel on your forehead?" I nodded sincerely. "You have it on you because you're not only the odd one out, it's because you're beautiful."

"Only women are beautiful. Men are handsome. That's the way things work for both our genders along with what we are capable of."

"Sammy, both men and women _are_ beautiful. It's only natural that we were born like that. As for our sons, they would be twice as beautiful when they come out into the world."

I agreed with Reiko on that one as we watched the snow fall from outside. We were thankful for what our luck had brought us as we even prayed for the safe return of those that we call family. The Thanksgiving holiday was going to be a good one indeed as the day before that one was about to have a lot of family coming here to the castle soon enough...

* * *

Dirk was in the kitchen as he was helping Herschel with the rest of the dinner. Even though he was out of school early, he was helping out while staying here after his mother passed away. When he saw the roast brisket come out of the oven, it was set on the counter as it was ready to eat. He was helping out with the chores as he did his part just like the rest of us, for it was the least that he can do after we took him in. When he saw Herschel bring the roast brisket into the dining room, he saw Castiel sitting there as he was waiting for me and Reiko to come downstairs for dinner. Even though the fallen angel came and went, he was part of the household just like the rest of us as he later saw us come into the dining room just in time for dinner. We even saw Nagodor step in as he was also getting hungry along with Shotaro and Tenar. We all dined at the table as we were enjoying the dinner that was put in front of us, for it was something that we always shared.

We all ate as a family as there was even time to discuss matters, but not at mealtime. With the snow blowing outside, we were warm as we had the boiler room warming the entire castle as well. For me, it was better than being in the fort on Gehenna as I was glad to be here on Alecrast. I preferred this planet not only it was my homeworld, but it was a place where all the seasons here changed every three months. Winter was coming early, but I didn't mind it as I was grateful that spring would come along after that. Speaking of spring..., I was looking at Reiko as I saw her filling out with the twins inside of her stomach. She was glowing with such happiness as I was happy to have her into my life. With the start of Thanksgiving coming fast, I had to think about a meal for the visiting family members that were often coming and going as the meal of turkey and all the fixings had to be done right away, but not yet...

* * *

Castiel was sitting on the roof as he was seeing the snow blow in the night sky. He was aware of the dangers that occurred all at once, but he had to make sure that nothing else happened to either me or Reiko when all of that came forth. It was at that moment that he noticed a spaceship enter into the clearing as he noticed it to be a ship from the Hunter Corps. When he saw it land in the clearing, he noticed the members of Colchuvar's group come out of it as they were most likely to be celebrating the upcoming holidays that were being put on display. After his tenure in the time of the Elder Days, he enjoyed the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays as they reminded him of how family was more important than anything. He even vowed to protect me and Reiko with his angelic life if need be, for it was his duty to watch over us in the long run. It wasn't long until he saw Yashamaru appear out of nowhere as he was on the case while the holidays were going on, for it was his sworn duty to make sure that no further harm would come to us, regardless of the matter at hand.

"I take it that you are relishing the winter holidays," said Yashamaru.

"Thanksgiving and Christmas will always be the most favored of all holidays that Heaven had," said Castiel. "It's also a time when family celebrates these special holidays because of the connection that comes with them."

"Ryosuke Ashizoka has arrived from the outer planetary system."

"Ryosuke?" Yashamaru nods. "He's there in the inner planetary system for a reason then."

"Ryosuke Ashizoka is the head honcho of the Order of Letters in the outer planetary system just as Ginryu is the head honcho of the one here. All the same, they have lived and not aged a day in two thousand years, but they remained firm in their crusade against any form of monster that puts harm towards the innocent."

"It's been once said that there are far worse dangers in the outer planetary system than this one. Still, we have to deal with one threat at a time, for Sam and Reiko's children would soon grow up with all the knowledge that they can muster in the future."

"There's also the factor with Crowley, who has been in house arrest after his ouster two months ago. Even though he's in his cell from harm's way, that doesn't mean that he is safe in the main headquarters for the rest of his life. The Order of Letters may have their finest in the lot, but there will always be bad apples rotting in with the fresh ones."

"Crowley may be out of the picture, but his enemies will stop at nothing to kill him if he wanders free."

Castiel and Yashamaru continued to look at the night sky as they saw more snow falling down. It was a peaceful night, but there would be a time when all of us here will be called to action whether we liked it or not. The holiday recess may be going on, but there would also be a time when we would be treading into harm's way without knowing it. The winters on Alecrast may have started early, but spring would turn up in a few months, for there will be a time when we have all of our reasons to fight anything that gets in our way, even at the costs of our lives...

* * *

Ginryu was ready to activate the security system in the main headquarters as everyone was gearing up to spend time with their families during the holiday recess. When he did that, he was on his way out as he was going towards Kanto Village by train. Just as he was about to do so, he saw Ryosuke standing in front of him as he wanted to talk to him just like real brothers should.

"It's been two thousand years since we maintained stability in the Order of Letters," he said.

"I take it that you're spending the holiday recess just like me," said Ginryu.

"Don't forget, even though you put the main headquarters on lockdown until the recess is over, but the Children of Azazel as well as the Army of Cain might stop at nothing to put Crowley's head on a pole."

"The main headquarters here has a fail-safe that is activated the moment the building is empty. If any demon comes in, they will be stepping into Devil's Traps and later be killed. If anyone else comes in, they will be caught and detained. It's what we do and it's what we have in the Order."

"You always planned ahead, didn't you, Brother? It's ironic, but sometimes, I envy you because of your wisdom. You know how to get things going because it's your duty to make sure that nothing happens at headquarters."

"There are times when demons have sneaked into here, but there will be times when we let down our guard if we're not careful. The Demon War may be waging on, but there's also the Leviathan threat at hand. It's gotten worse since SucroCorp was shut down ten years ago, but their CEO's someone that can't be taken out so lightly. Midori Kurohana's not someone that you can't ignore, but the only way to kill a high-level Leviathan is to strike her with a bone soaked with three types of blood: one from an Alpha vampire, one from a fallen angel, and one from a demon. There had been no weapons like that, but I pray that we find one before Midori makes her next move."

Reports of the Leviathan threat had been rampant since the destruction of the cave plant on Gehenna two months ago as Ginryu had to act quickly in order to put a stop to the top threats that have been going on so far. The Demon War itself was most likely to be put on hold as the opposing sides have known about the Leviathan threat that had been once shut down on Harkonnen. This news of what has been happening here would even shake the rest of the Order of Letters as they had to act just to prevent the incidents from happening all over the inner and outer planetary systems. We all had to pull our weight, but for now, it was the first holiday recess in which we resume our duties afterwards...

* * *

I was hard after dinner as I was cleaning the dining room while Dirk and Herschel were busy getting the kitchen done. We all did our part as we were getting things finished before the start of Thanksgiving. By the time all of us were finished, we took a break as I walked outside of the castle. I later went into the shed as I was looking at the Impala that had been in storage for ages. Once again, I looked at it as I wiped the dust from its windshield. I was thankful that a relic like that had been saved, but there were times that it needed to be cleaned from time to time. I decided to do that as I grabbed some furniture polish and cleaner just to keep the Impala from getting more dirty in this shed. By the time I was finished, I heard the door to the shed open up as I turned around to see a familiar face enter, only to see the car being updated to brand new.

"I love the smell of new car in the evening," he said as he was staring at the Impala.

"You're late, Dean," I said. "Looks like you sure pine for that old thing after I got it cleaned up to brand new."

"The Impala has a lot of qualities there, Sammy. All you gotta do is to keep it from getting dusty."

"It's too cold to take it out because of the roads. Besides, this thing's one of a kind."

"Magda and I love that thing, but it'll be depressing if that car's gonna be put in here for the rest of its days. It's been seeing better days, but at least it's in better hands than my past life's."

"What are you talking about?"

"Every time I look at that thing, I see a lot of stuff that happened, but my past life kind of neglected into taking care of it when he became a demon. At least it's in better hands here."

I saw Dean stare at that Impala as he couldn't wait until he tested it out on the road when winter was over. As for me, however, I still had work to do as I had to contend with whatever's been thrown at me. It was the perks of being an Elder, but there would also be times when I am called on the field, no matter what it takes...

**To be continued...**


	2. A Modest Thanksgiving

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 2: A Modest Thanksgiving**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It was the day before Thanksgiving as I was hard at work preparing desserts for tomorow's feast. Even though I started early, I was ready to make some cheesecakes as I was working really hard in doing them. Just as I was about to do so, I heard footsteps approaching as I turned around and saw Shotaro and Tenar standing in front of me. Even though they viewed me as a loving husband to Reiko, they didn't budge as they were wanting me to spend more time with her on the spot. Their motives into bringing us to a much more mutual marriage was about to become more challenging. They didn't move one bit, for they would eventually stop at nothing to get me to be more intimate with Reiko soon enough.

"Looks like you do a lot of work in the kitchen too much," said Shotaro.

"I do what I can when Reiko's enduring a pregnancy like that," I said.

"Is that what you can think of, Sam?" asked Tenar sternly.

"I vowed to watch over her with my life, even if it means sacrificing myself to save her."

"That's _not_ the case. By the way, have you considered to be on the receiving end in the bedroom?"

"I don't do that with Reiko because of the babies inside of her."

"Sex during pregnancy is a natural thing," said Shotaro. "Most of the time, it's the man on the receiving end with the woman on top. Besides, you might even like it the moment you see Reiko enticing you with her glowing body." I saw Shotaro fish out a small box of condoms as he gave them to me. "Go and have your way with her. It's better than wearing a chastity belt all the time."

"But I have work to do."

"Herschel and that kid will do the rest. If I were you, I suggest that you go upstairs and play with my sister after doing all that hard work."

I was put in a bind as I walked out of the kitchen with the box of condoms in my hand. Even though I wanted to work hard in the kitchen a little bit more, I simply went upstairs to where my room was in which I had been sweating over a hot stove and then some. When I went into the bathroom, I stripped off my clothes as I went towards the wash basin. When I was washing myself with the soap and water, I was cleaning myself up as I was thinking about Reiko so readily. By the time I rinsed myself off, I got into the bathtub as I put the plug in and turned on the hot water. I was simply needing a break after getting things ready in time for Thanksgiving as I was relaxing in the tub where the hot water went to the top. Turning it off, I was simply lounging away as I felt more calm after doing too much in one shot.

After spending a good thirty minutes in the tub, I drained the water out as I got out of the tub and dried myself off with a towel. Dressing in a white kimono and underclothes, I cleaned up my mess as I put my dirty ones in the hamper. Before I left the bathroom, I was staring at the box of condoms that were given to me as they were made for both protection and sexual stimulation. I was staring at the box that said, "Casa Erotica" on it in bold letters. When I slipped on my robe, I left the bathroom as I was going towards my room. It was at that moment when I saw Reiko walking towards me as she grabbed my arm and went to where we needed to go into. I was pinned to the bed as I felt the memory foam on the mattress mold me into it. I was seeing Reiko in front of me as she laid close to me. She was beautiful as I even saw the baby bump that was protruding from her dress. I was staring at her as she wanted more intimacy between us before our twins were born, for she wouldn't do it again in the later months.

I was feeling at the baby bump as I found it to be very enticing to the eyes. Still, it was awkward that I was about to be on the receiving end when I noticed Reiko spreading out my kimono and robe, only to reveal my underclothes. It was at that moment when I saw her pull them down to reveal my member as she found it to be out of use since the start of her pregnancy. I was becoming the one that was laying down as I saw Reiko get out the box of condoms and opened it up. The condom in the packaging was something that was keen on the eyes as I saw my wife starting to stimulate my member with her gentle hands. With a heat of excitement, I was fully pleasured as I felt my member hardening up. By the time I saw Reiko strip off her bloomers, she was ready to unwrap the condom as she put it directly on my member.

With her body coming on top of me, I felt welcomed as my member was deep inside of her. I was overwhelmed by the senses within me as I was feeling the erotic pleasure drowning me with all its strength. My body was roaring with such power as I saw Reiko on top of me with her baby bump in front. The intense pleasure from this pregnant sex made me want more of it as I was feeling the effects of what I was dealing with. My heart pounded as I was feeling more powerful on the receiving end, for I was most likely to be enduring this kind of pleasure during the second trimester of Reiko's pregnancy. After spending our energies mingling with one another, we were both tired as I saw Reiko uncouple with me and removed the condom and put it into the wastebasket. When I saw her return next to me, I pulled up my underclothes as I closed my kimono and saw her smiling at me. She was glowing as I even saw her breasts become slightly larger due to the pregnancy that she was having.

"My God, you're beautiful," I said as I was staring directly at my wife.

"I've never seen you so incredible before," she said.

"Perhaps this form of intimacy was something that we do sometimes, but there's also the fact that our twins are safe from harm."

"I heard Tenar telling me that a lasting marriage should never be sexless, even if I'm pregnant."

"Just look at you, Reiko. Ever since we created something precious, you've been glowing as if you were blessed with something more than just being with me. It's the fact that you're more beautiful than anything in which you even made me blush when I first saw you."

"Sammy..."

I looked into Reiko's eyes as I could never turn away from her, no matter what factor was coming at me. She was someone that would bear more children for me as I vowed to protect her from harm. It was my way of showing her that I will always be there for her, even at the cost of my life. The start of our family was something that I was looking forward to, for I was also someone that would stop at nothing to stand firm to protect it...

* * *

Dean was looking at the Impala as he was simply wanting to take a test drive into it the moment spring comes along. He was staring at that thing as he even wanted to take it out towards the roads, but it was forbidden to do so. All along the roads, he mainly saw carts and carriages being pulled by horses and oxen as it was a primitive way to travel on the dirt roads. If he were to travel on a real road trip, he would take the Impala on a spin when the spring weather hits, but for now, he had to deal with staring at the sleek black chariot that was itching to go out into the world. Just as he was about to leave the shed, he heard footsteps approaching as he turned around and noticed Magda standing behind him. She knew that he was pining for the Impala as she stared at him directly.

"You're still staring at that car, aren't you?" she said.

"It's a pain in the ass when you see something like that sit in there for ages... or perhaps centuries just to collect dust," said Dean.

"If it were on one of those dirt roads, it would be the envy of all the peasants with their animals carrying the carts and carriages."

"Oh, when will that thing come out of the shed?"

"Dean, you sure pine for that thing."

"It's also the same place where we consummated our marriage while making out to Bad Company."

"I bet that Sam would be staring at you if he saw you going for that car."

"Hey, he's got the castle, but the car's mine. When spring comes along, Baby's gonna be on her maiden voyage."

"You can worry about that later. We're gonna have to help Sam out in the kitchen soon enough."

And so, Dean followed Magda out of the shed as they were about to help out with the dinner fixings for Thanksgiving. It was a great time for family to hang around as it was also an early start for winter as well. After the holiday recess, it would be back to work for all of us as we still had much to do in the Order of Letters. We all had our reasons to be with family, for it was the strongest form of connection that ever lived...

* * *

Later on, I was back in the kitchen as I was still hard at work making the cheesecakes for tomorow's feast. After that break, I was simply baking away as I was making the no-bake cheesecake filling while I put it into the graham cracker crusts that were on display. At a single glance, I found the cans of berry filling that Reiko made from the ones that were harvested as I opened up the glass jars and put them on the plain cheesecakes that were now filled up and put into the fridge for tomorrow. I was even having Dirk and Herschel help out as they were making the cakes and pumpkin pies We were getting geared up for such a feast as we were even getting some extra things here. Still, we had a lot of people stopping by until Dirk heard something coming in through the kitchen. I also noticed the familiar face standing in front of all of us as he was dressed in winter garb.

"Long time, no see, Sam," he said as he took off his boots.

"Ippei?" I said. "What made you come over here?"

"It's the first holiday recess, but I decided to come over and visit you anyway."

"How's everyone at the teahouse?"

"Ellen's been working non-stop with the many travellers and customers coming and going. As for my foolish grandson, he's taken on a protegee with him on his hunting missions while encountering Kansas Tang, who has a bone to pick with his bumbling sons."

"Hey, aren't you supposed to be older?" said Dirk out of curiosity.

"I'm five hundred and forty years old, but I'm still young at heart."

"Oh, man...," said Herschel as he was finishing up the pumpkin filling that was going into the pie crusts. "The jig's up. Our old man's gonna be here and Nicholas and I are about to get nailed by him."

"Kansas isn't the kind of guy that can believe someone like you to make up a lie just to prevent Magda from marrying Dean. He's also the guy that is most likely to be fighting against a common threat that appeared the moment SucroCorp returned again. From what I heard, the threat's more real in the outer planetary system than our own."

"I heard about the outer planetary system before," I said. "It's far more different from our own, but the head honcho there is-"

"-Ryosuke Ashizoka? He's Ginryu's twin brother and someone that stays on things. Still, he's in it for the long run just like the rest of us. Still, we have to deal with the top threat that came along the moment we cooperate with Ryosuke."

I had never expected someone like Ryosuke to come here as I was still hard at work helping out in the kitchen. We were mainly getting things done as we were ready to have a great feast that would bring anyone here. It was something that we all had to deal with, but with tomorrow coming, it was also a great opportunity to cook the turkey early in the morning. I was staring at the bird that had been thawed out as I began to get to work on it. Washing my hands, I started tearing the turkey from the package as I dug out the giblets and neck while putting them into a different pan. I even placed it into the huge roaster pan as I was putting butter into the skin along with some seasonings that were stored in the cupboard along with some salt and pepper. With the oven preheated to the right heat, I placed the lid on the roaster as I put the turkey into the oven.

Washing my hands again, I dried them off as I was going back to work into helping Dirk and Herschel finish up the desserts. With the pumpkin pies done, I helped into taking them out as I put them on the counter. The smell of them was something that had been savored in the fall and winter months as we were all done for now. When I left the kitchen, I went upstairs towards the fifth floor as I was in a lounge where it had some recreational stuff in it. The sight of a ping-pong table was something raucous as I noticed the paddles on it along with the balls. There was even a _go_ board and several slow games such as checkers, chess, and _shogi_. I was in the game room as I had fond memories of being in here playing before going to Gehenna years ago. To my surprise, I heard the door open as I turned around and saw Dean standing in the doorway.

"It's been ages since we were in here," he said as he was going towards the ping-pong table.

"We're not kids anymore, Dean," I said.

"So? That doesn't mean that we can't play ping-pong for a while."

"I _would_ play ping-pong, but I'm not interested in it right now."

"Well, why not?"

"I have too much on me that I have no time into playing games right now."

"When was the last time you played a real competitive game?"

"I don't have time for it. After I reminisce with the _go_ board, I have to go back downstairs to check on the turkey."

"Well, that's an epic fail..."

I watched my older brother play with the ping-pong table as he was wanting me to play a round with him. Still, I had so much to do as I was most likely to be goaded by fate to play a round so Dean wouldn't be bored...

* * *

**Many years ago...**

I was running into the recreational room as I was staring at the ping-pong table. It was something that was fun for Dad and Dean, but it wasn't for me because I was too short as I simply sat down by the _go_ board by the window. I was just staring at the square block with black and white pebbles in separate pots as I was starting to get bored. I was just playing with the tiles as I was making a mess out of them. It was something that I did as I was too short to play ping-pong. By the time I saw Dad finish a round of the game, I saw him sitting down next to the _go_ board as he noticed me pick up the pebbles and put them into where they went. He saw the jeweled sigil on my forehead as he viewed me as something important to everyone, for I would be a part of the Order of Letters just like him.

"You sure know how to make a mess and pick up after yourself, don't you, Sammy?" he said.

"The black pebbles go in the with the other black ones while the white pebbles go with the rest of them," I said.

"You got a sharp memory, don't you?"

"Sammy's always had a sharp memory," said Dean.

"And I read every book in the house," I said.

"No you didn't; you read the cookbooks in the kitchen as well as those other books in the nursery and library."

"Hey, don't try to judge him too low," said our dad. "He may be your little brother, but he's got a lot of potential in mind."

"But, Dad, I'm not that special," I said. "All I do is read books and make messes and the other kids make fun of me at school because of that jewel on my forehead."

"No, you're not hiding the damn thing this time. Last time you hid that thing, you used a bandanna to cover it up and just yesterday, you covered it up with a bandage. There's no point in hiding what you have on you because it's a godsend that it's there."

"What's there?"

"You'll know when you're older, but it's almost time for dinner, so I suggest that you boys go in and wash your hands."

And so, Dean and I left the recreational room as we went into one of the bathrooms to wash our hands for dinner. We were having fish with seasoned vegetables as it was our meal before Thanksgiving. We had a lot of great memories here in the castle as we were happy at the time. Still, Dad was staring at me as if he viewed me to be some sort of god or something when he was fully thankful that I was born. It had been years since Mom passed away, but Dad dealt with it as he was off to his next mission after dinner. He wanted to spend more time with us on Thanksgiving, but once he was called on a hunt, he didn't refuse as he would soon return home with us when it was over.

"Boys, I hate to tell you this, but I have to go," he told us.

"But you can't," I said.

"Sam, listen to me; I don't like this any more than you do, but I have to deal with it whether I liked it or not."

"Aren't you gonna watch us?" asked Dean.

"You're old enough to look after your brother, but the two of you need to stick together. I'll even dispatch Cynthia to keep an eye on you."

"Dad, be careful," I said.

"I will because I'm a member of the Hunter Corps and once I'm on a mission, I can't ignore it. Still, if anything were to happen to me, I want you two to be in Cynthia's care so that nothing worse would ever happen to you. It's the least she can do for you two."

That moment didn't turn out to be when Dean and I were later taken out of Alecrast and onward to Gehenna after that. Still, we had to stand firm in which we had to deal with our situations so readily. It was also something that we were put out to do in the long run, but it was a burden that we bore with our lives...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present...**

I was still in the recreational room as I was still admiring the _go_ board. It had been years since I played with it as I made a mess out of the black and white pebbles long ago. Still, I noticed Dean staring at the ping-pong table as he was wanting someone to play with. I was eager to see the ping-pong table, but I wasn't interested in it as the game itself wasn't fit for me. Back then, I was too small to play as I was even too short at the time. Now, that I was tall, I was most likely to be playing the game of ping-pong, but I didn't have time to do it. I had to check up on things as I had that turkey in the oven slow cooking. Getting up, I was on my way out the door until I saw Ippei barring the doorway. He was there to visit, but he was also concerned for me as I had too much on my hands. It had been four months since I came back home, but I was about to get an earful from the one known as the Sword of Alecrast.

"So, you're going back downstairs to do more work, aren't you?" he said.

"I don't have time to play games right now," I said.

"Sam, I heard from Dean firsthand about how you didn't wanna play with what was on display. You played _go_ with me at my place, didn't you?"

"Yes, but ping-pong isn't for me."

"Hey, don't you be dissing ping-pong," said Dean as he was staring at it out of boredom.

"I was too short at first when I saw you and Dad play it and I was forbidden to play it while we were living on Gehenna over the years. Hell, I was even cleaning up in the recreational room at the fort, but every time I wanted to play the damn game, I got chewed out by Sylvanus over and over again. Sorry, but I have to get back to work."

"Sam," said Ippei. "You have to face the obstacle in front of you, even if you don't like it. Do you want Lucifer to come back and taunt you again?"

"No, but-"

"Here," said Dean as he gave me a racket that went to the ping-pong table. "It sucks to play alone, but with two, it's gonna be fun."

I sighed heavily as I was going towards the ping-pong table and was ready to face my worst obstacle that was standing in front of me. I had neglected the fun of that trivial game for so long that I had a feeling that it would trigger bad memories from Gehenna during our time at the fort. It was something that I had to deal with as I was most likely to be put to the test of what I learned so far...

* * *

**Many years ago on Gehenna...**

I was hard at work cleaning up the fort as I was simply getting things done for the day. The daily chores here were getting intense as I was busy dusting the halls while the rest of us servants were busy getting the rest all in tip-top shape. By the time I was finished, I was on my way to the recreational room as I was cleaning up after the soldiers were there just indulging themselves after training missions. It was at that moment that I saw a ping-pong table standing there as it was about to be cleaned. I was dusting and cleaning off the ping-pong table as I was reminded of the games of it that Dean and Dad played long ago. By the time I was finished, I went on cleaning the rest of the recreational room as it needed to be spotless by the time the soldiers got back.

I was hard at work as I was cleaning up the recreational room up to tip-top shape. It took me an hour to pick it up as I had the place cleaned and spotless. It was tough, but I had to keep it up to standards as I was going out of the room in order to go to my own. Just as I was about to do so, I saw Dean come into the recreational room as he was about to take a load off. After all that training exercise, he wanted to take a break as he was staring at the ping-pong table that got cleaned up earlier. He remembered the days when he and Dad were busy playing that game as I mainly watched from the sidelines, but he wanted someone to play with and _that_ someone was me.

"Once again, there's the lonely ping-pong table," he said.

"I can't play with it, you know," I said as I was on my way out of the recreational room.

"Hey, you can't opt out on playing that game and besides, one can't play alone."

"If Sylvanus catches me doing that with you, you'd be in trouble. I can't chance it right now."

"Well, let him catch us. For instance, I'm getting sick and tired of him treating you like a doormat"

Too late! We saw Sylvanus enter into the recreational room as he was spotting me trying to play with the ping-pong table. He didn't want any servant to mess around with the equipment that was in there as he was grabbed me by the scruff of my kimono and yanked me out of here. It was hell for me as I was brought into the training grounds where it was empty for today. I was in for it. I was most likely to be put under another form of punishment when he got out a washtub filled with fresh snow. I had a feeling that I would be going into that as I was used to the punishment that I endured.

"You know the rules, Sam!" roared Sylvanus. "Only soldiers play in the recreational room, not servants! As for your punishment, you'll be standing in the washtub of snow for two hours. That'll teach you not to get into things!"

I took off my slippeers as I was about to go through another form of punishment that was staring at me. I stepped into the tub as I felt the snow freezing my feet in which I saw the sky with the rest of it falling down. Sylvanus was relishing the moment I was put here as he was standing in front of me just seeing being me humiliated by my folly. I was shivering as I felt the chilly air freezing me all over. Still, I couldn't get away as I was wanting to get out of the washtub before another blizzard hits into the fort, but I had Sylvanus just staring at me with a smile on his face.

"It's ironic that you of all people thing you're special, don't you?" he said as he was wadding up some snow in his hands. "Well, you're _not_ special and I really don't give a rat's ass about you anyway. Dean's got better potential than you because he's a soldier. You're just a servant and like you, all servants don't shirk their work. Your presence in the recreational room is yet another mockery on us soldiers and it makes me sick. Today's Thanksgiving as you're not invited to the turkey feast because you're gonna spend two hours of standing in the washtub for your insolence." He throws the snowball at me as it hits my face. "By the time your punishment's over, there will be no food left and all you'll ever have are the crumbs and table scraps on the floor."

I saw Sylvanus leave the training grounds as I was shivering from the cold. I wanted to think about Ginryu's words I heard of two years ago, but I couldn't shake the fact that I was still a servant and doormat. I was never special from the beginning, but more and more, I was beginning to see that I didn't matter to anyone as I was freezing from the weather that had been pouring down outside. It had been an hour as I felt my feet being numb as I was wiggling my toes in the snow. I was even suffering from another bad cold. I had to face the cold until I spotted Ginryu coming towards me as he noticed me suffering from the chill of the weather.

"You shouldn't be standing out here, you'll get pneumonia," he said.

"I can't get out of the washtub after Sylvanus forced me go go into it," I said.

"Is that what he told you?" I nodded. "You can't be out here or else you'll freeze to death."

"No, I'm not coming in, you hear me?"

"Sam, if I'm here, Sylvanus will not harm you."

"So? He'll always get at me because he treats all the other servants and soldiers as equals."

"You're coming into the mess hall whether you like it or not. The training grounds is no place to celebrate Thanksgiving in."

"I have to obey Sylvanus and take my punishment or else he'll do worse to me."

Without no further say, Ginryu grabbed me by the arm as he dragged me out of the washtub. He even gave my slippers to me as he wanted me to put them on. I didn't want to become the face of bad behavior as I was going towards the washtub of snow that was staring at me in the face. I didn't want to face another bout of Sylvanus' wrath as I was about to step into the washtub again to serve out the rest of my punishment.

"I can't go with you," I said as I was stepping back into the washtub.

"Sam, you can't be bound with Sylvanus' punishments forever," said Ginryu.

"If he finds out that you're doing that, he'll end you."

"No he won't because I'm in charge when I'm here. Come on, now; let's go back in the fort. Your brother's waiting for you."

"A soldier can't have attachments and I'm making sure that Dean doesn't have any burdens to bear."

"Is that what you've been hearing from Sylvanus? No, he may say that a soldier can't have attachments, but matters of family trumps all. Now, are you with me?" I shook my head as I feared retaliation from the head honcho. "Sam, there's a blizzard coming and the nightly weather can reach a bonechilling minus twelve. Are you willing to serve out your punishment for trying to please yourself?"

"I can't disobey Sylvanus again. I have to do this so I won't face another bout of Sylvanus' wrath." My voice broke as I was feeling the pinch of my errors. "Even though it's Thanksgiving, I can't go in the fort because of what I did earlier."

"What did you do?"

"I was about to play ping-pong with Dean, but I got caught by Sylvanus. I can't do that again. I can't play games anymore or have my means to treat myself to anything because of this curse on my forehead. If I had it removed, I'll be like everyone else and not get pinned down all the time."

"If you did that, God would eventually punish you for it. That 'curse' is something that will be useful to you. Remember that." He grabbed me away from the washtub as he didn't want me to suffer the bitter cold. "You can't be outside freezing forever, Sam. I'll always be with you because you're more unique than anyone that I know of. As for that 'curse,' it's something that you're blessed with. Come on, let's go back inside."

I reluctantly agreed as I put on my slippers and followed Ginryu into the fort. By the time we came into the mess hall, we saw the soldiers dining on turkey and stuffing as I was starting to get hungry, but I was refusing the food because it was made for soldiers. I even saw Sylvanus at the end of one of the tables feasting on roast goose as he was sipping a goblet of wine. I didn't want him to see me as I was about to leave the mess hall until I was stopped by Ginryu. He didn't want me to be left out as he decided to allow me to sit in here with the rest of the group, but at a separate table by the window.

"So, what do you think?" he asked me as I sat down.

"I have no idea, but I'll try to fit in," I said.

"You should fit in with everyone, not by yourself. Besides, you can't be left out forever."

It was at that moment that I saw Dean bring out some food from the kitchen as he gave it to me. I was dreading the wrath of Sylvanus as he was too busy eating heartily with the roast goose while the rest of us were eating turkey and stuffing. I saw the food on my table as I was starting to be thankful at what I had. Even though I would end up being punished for trivial matters, I had to be used to it as I had my reasons to be thankful right back. I had Dean watching out for me along with Ginryu as they were making sure that I didn't fall through the cracks, for I was someone that was special at what I had...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present..., again!**

I was staring at the racket in my hand as I was being worried about the bad memories that I had on Gehenna. I sighed so heavily as I noticed Dean rolling the ball around on the ping-pong table with his racket. I didn't have time to play games at all as I was about to put my racket down and leave the recreational room entirely. The awful memories from Gehenna were about to take over until I saw Ippei stop me at the last minute. He was serious about what I was doing, but I had to deal with it, even if I didn't like it.

"You can't just walk away from what you're facing," he said.

"Sorry, but I have to get back to the kitchen," I said.

"You're trying to wriggle out of a game of ping-pong, aren't you?"

"Last time I was goaded into playing, I was punished for it by standing in a washtub full of snow out in the frozen weather. I don't wanna be reminded about that dreadful time."

"Sylvanus was troubling you, wasn't he?"

"Yes, and Sam's always been his target of being pushed around all the time," said Dean.

"I knew it... The very reason why both you and Sam were taken to Gehenna was to simply do further harm to him with you watching on the sidelines."

"Anyway, I'm glad that the bastard's dead, but-"

"Sylvanus wasn't the one who ordered you two out of Alecrast after John's funeral."

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"The real culprit that authorized your departure from this planet is a man named Sawney Masbath. He's the worst in the Order in which he didn't like the fact that the Winchesters were becoming a nuisance. You of all people should watch your back, Sam. He's someone that often resorts to blackmail just to keep things in line."

"So, it wasn't Sylvanus that took us to Gehenna and put us through hell over the years and I took the full brunt of it. All those years of him pushing me around like I didn't exist had did nothing for me."

"Sam, what was past stood past. You should move forward and not be held back. In fact, Ginryu consulted to me about what he saw at the fort and he made sure that you didn't fade away. You may not know it, but he was keeping tabs on you about the most absurd punishments that Sylvanus ever thought of. He even caught you sleeping and freezing in the chicken house at the time. I know that you dread the fact that you have to deal with something like that ping-pong table and not playing with it, but you don't have to dread it anymore. Now, are you free to play the game?"

"Fine, I'll do it, but after this, no more."

I was staring at Dean as he was still fiddling with the ball that was on the ping-pong table. When he was finally pitching out the ball, he was expecting it to fly and land against the wall until I hit it back. I was playing the game for the first time as I was hitting the ball and back. Even though Dean was hitting the ball first, he was aiming it at me as I hit it with my racked and went past him. Picking up the ball, he served it as I hit it right back. We continued to hit the ball back and forth as we were going at it until one of us won. It was at that moment that Dean didn't see me smile or enjoy the game as I was still plagued by those bad memories on Gehenna over the years.

"C'mon, Sam," said Dean as he was serving the ball. "You gotta enjoy the game here. It sucks that you have a frown on your face."

I didn't say a word as I continued to hit the ball until I saw it land behind a table where the _shogi_ board was at. I walked over there and picked up the ball as I put it back on the ping-pong table and put the racket down. By the time I was about to leave, I was stopped by Ippei as he didn't let me through. I didn't have time to mess around in the game room too much as I had so much to do for tomorow's Thanksgiving dinner, but I was being detained in this recreational room against my will.

"I already played a game of ping-pong, alright, so please, let me through," I said.

"Sam, you lacked enthusiasm when you played a game with your brother," said Ippei.

"He's been frowning the whole time, even though he won the game," said Dean.

"I already played one game," I said as I was starting to get irritated. "I don't need to play another one."

"C'mon, Sammy, don't crap out on me now. We were getting started."

"No."

"You were getting good, but-"

"I told you before, Dean. No means no."

"Sam," said Ippei. "You're starting to fear the worst. You're afraid that you'll get punished if you were taking too much indulgance. It's also known that you developed a fear of playing in the recreational room over the years."

"And every year, I got punished, so I avoided everything in there while I picked up after everyone. I already played ping-pong, so I have to get back to work."

"If you keep dwelling about all those bad memories of being on Gehenna, you'll undo yourself in one huge twist."

In that moment, I went back towards the ping-pong table as I was playing another round of it with Dean. I didn't want to be around it as I was hitting the ball back and forth. I had to get back to work. I didn't have time to screw around as I was hitting the ball again. As the game was about to finish, I stopped as I put my racket down and leave the recreational room. I didn't have time to indulge on too much things as I went downstairs towards the kitchen. I was in there checking on the turkey as it was slow-cooking very nicely. I had my responsibilities to uphold as I didn't want to shirk them too much, for I couldn't leave things unattended not for a second. I had so much on my mind as I had to utilize them directly. When I was about to leave the kitchen, I saw Tenar standing in front of me as she wasn't too happy with me leaving the recreational room.

"I don't have time to waste right now," I said.

"You left in the middle of the game of ping-pong, didn't you?" said Tenar. "Didn't anyone tell you that it's rude to walk out on a game?"

"I can't just sit in that room playing that thing. It's stupid and meaningless. As of now, I won't play that game ever again because it's nothing more than an inconvenience."

"How dare you!" Tenar grabs me by the scruff of my kimono as she pits me against the wall. "A person can't live on responsibilities alone! You of all people have to get a little time for yourself, but you simply call it an inconvenience. Admit it, you were forced not to play at that ping-pong table when you were on Gehenna, weren't you?"

"Yes, and that thing brings back bad memories. Sorry, but I won't play ping-pong no more."

"Idiot! A man of the house has to try new things, but you simply call them an inconvenience! And you call yourself an Elder of the Order! I've seen Reina Kratedes go skinny dipping in the main headquarters pool and Ippei just go and play chess, but _you_ have too much on your hands that it's depressing! Here's my advice to you: the less you try new things, the more it weighs on you, remember it!"

When I saw Tenar leave the kitchen, I was stunned by what she told me as I decided to go back upstairs towards the recreational room. I had a feeling that Dean and Ippei were not too happy with me after leaving in the middle of the game as I noticed that no one was there. It was quiet as I was staring at that ping-pong table with the ball and rackets. I wasn't interested in playing the game anymore as all I could do was stare at it. At first, I was too short to play, but now that I am tall, I was eager to do so until the bad memories resurfaced. I was hearing Tenar's advice in my head over and over again as I took the racket and served the ball until it landed near the _shogi _board. When I went over there to pick it up, I saw Dean sprinting into the room with some snacks in his hands. He saw me playing by myself with the ping-pong table as he set down the snacks on the floor and joined me in order to resume the game.

"I thought you bailed on our game," he said.

"I had a little intervention," I said.

"Hey, I know that you suffered from Sylvanus' crap, but you gotta put it behind you. By the way, you _did_ help save the rest of our comrades of the fort from the Leviathans."

"So, tomorow's Thanksgiving, but we-"

"Hey, don't pull that negative crap, Sam. You can't just dwell on all those bad memories forever. Besides, we both survived the fort on Gehenna and it's about time that we start thinking about the future ahead, are we good?"

I nodded as I served the ball near the ping-pong table. Dean hit back as I hit the ball on the table that was never been used for years. We were finishing up the game that I walked away from as I finally served the last move. It wasn't long until we saw the ball roll towards the _go_ board as we were having fun here in the castle. With our game ending, we sat down at a small table as we were picking up the snacks that were brought in earlier. It was a memory that had me ignore the bad things that happened to me as I was staring at the ping-pong table. I wasn't afraid of playing it anymore as I was taking such free time to heart. All along, I thought the game of ping-pong had been and inconvenience, but it was something that I had to try soon enough and I did. I won the two games that I played as I felt elated that I wasn't punished for it. I even vowed not to fall under the shadow of the bad memories of the fort on Gehenna as I was ready to maintain my role as an Elder of the Order...

* * *

The next morning, I was up as I was rushing to the kitchen to check up on the turkey that was cooking in the wall oven. When I opened it up, I uncovered the roasting pan as I noticed the turkey well done in which it was falling apart until I saw the stuffing inside of it done and golden brown. I had a feeling that someone had a hand in it as I saw Reiko coming into the kitchen in which she was eager to check up on the turkey as well.

"Good morning, Sammy," she said.

"You finished the stuffing, didn't you?" I said.

"You were tired after playing with Brother at that ping-pong table last night, so I made the stuffing and put it into the turkey when it was in the oven. It was falling apart, too."

"I bet there's not enough turkey to feed everybody here."

"There are other people coming with food with them, too."

I went out of the kitchen as I noticed Ippei standing in front of me. He had a feeling that I had overcame my fear of the bad memories on Gehenna as he also brought some of the people from his home to help out with the Thanksgiving dinner that was prepared just in time. I was now having a full house in the castle as this was the first Thanksgiving dinner on Alecrast that I had in a long time. I wasn't on Gehenna anymore as I was happy to be here in my homeworld. I wasn't alone. I wasn't left out in the background as I was grateful that I had all that comfort here in this castle. Thanksgiving wasn't just about food or family. It was all about being home with everyone around you.

"I take it that you are overcoming your bad memories of what you suffered from on Gehenna," said Ippei. "I knew that you would be persuaded to go back and try again."

"If it wasn't for Tenar telling me off, I would've faltered even further."

"It's great that you got motivated, but there are times when bad memories return to the fray."

"I see what you mean, but after seeing that ping-pong table, it brought back all those memories of being left out in the fort on Gehenna. Still, if I wasn't reminded that I should try new things, I would end up being on the sidelines."

"You don't wanna go up against Tenar. She'll end up kicking your ass if she finds you not enjoying everything around you. By the way, Dean and Magda were up early cooking a brisket out in the backyard, even if winter's still coming early."

"I hate to say this, but I'm glad to be free from Sylvanus and he won't hurt me or punish me, either. It's a new day that I will have with me, but first, we should have our dinner when it gets done."

I smiled as I was smelling the food being cooked and served at the same time. I had a nice Thanksgiving after all as I was grateful that I had people to steer me on the right path. I was an Elder of the Order, but I also had to have something to do as I saw Reiko go into the kitchen and quickly came out of it. I even noticed her grab a leg of turkey as she was eating at it. Even though she couldn't wait, she was very hungry as she was even feeding the twins inside of her. I didn't get mad at her as I had a feeling that her cravings would kick in the moment the food's served. I was happy here as I wasn't on Gehenna anymore, for spring would come after winter when it was over. There was family coming here as we all saw others with food in their hands. It was the best Thanksgiving that I ever had, for it would be one to savor in the later years...

**To be continued...**


	3. Prey of the Coyote

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 3: Prey of the Coyote**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It was a quiet afternoon as the Southern Stride was bustling with trade from the trains. Unlike the northern part of one of the continents on Alecrast, it was summer instead of winter as it was on the other side of the equator. As for the train station in the town of Kaldur, it was business as usual as many Orcs came and went by either doing trade or working jobs at the businesses that were on hand into catering to customers. To one Orc, he was coming back from a delivery as he got off from his giant wolf and was about to take the train up to the north. Even though he waited, he was spotting a supply train that stopped at the station as he was seeing the conductor and the other staff getting off for a coffee break. The Orc, however, was noticing that his wolf was smelling a stench from one of the cars. When he noticed his wolf behaving strangely, he approached the supply train as he was looking into one of the cars that was bolted shut. With all his strength, the Orc tore the door to the supply car off as he noticed something that was foul indeed. There were humans inside as they were all dead from either hunger, thirst, or perhaps from the heat. The Orc had a feeling that something was wrong as the way that those humans were kept in had been very atrocious.

"Hey, what the hell did you do?" said the conductor as he came out of the station.

"You of all people should take a better look at your cargo," said the Orc.

"What are you talking about?" The conductor walked towards the car of the supply train as he saw the tragedy that was inside. "Oh, dear God... What really happened in there?"

"It's the terrible sign of Terran trafficking, which is widely known in the Central Front. The countries of Mayoros, Azteca, and Chiros are known for their violence among the poor in which some of the undocumented wind up being in the hands of _them_."

"What do you mean, 'them?'"

"Have you heard of the Coyotes? They're a group of Terrans who smuggle other Terrans across the borders up to this place and beyond. This practice has been known through Earth in the time of the Elder Days and it still goes on today. What you've witnessed here is the most despicable and whoever did this, needs to be stopped."

"I don't know what to say here..."

"Tell me..., where was this train going?"

"We were bringing food and supplies to the Northern Lands where Kanto Village is."

"Kanto Village? I heard of it before. It's where Winchester Castle is and the man of the house needs to be heard about what happened in that supply train."

The Orc and his wolf saw the passenger train as they saw it stopping. It was at that moment that he took his wolf into the animal holding cart. When he went into one of the compartment, he paid his fare as he was going towards his destination, where Kanto Village is...

* * *

It had been three days since our Thanksgiving feast as I was working in my office. I was ready to start the Christmas season as I was seeing the décor all over the walls. The strands of garland and ornaments were even on the small Christmas tree that was put in here as the holiday recess was over. I was back to work as I was busy looking over the files and reports that several members of the Order of Letters brought in. I was pretty much occupied until I saw Reiko walk in with a bowl full of stir-fry that was made from the leftovers of the turkey that was deboned and put in the fridge after Thanksgiving. It was something that was unusual, but I was willing to try it as I tasted the turkey that was used into making it, along with the vegetables and noodles and seasonings that were put into it. With one taste, I was liking it as taste of the turkey was simply great. I couldn't get enough of it as I had a feeling that Reiko outdid herself with what to do with some of the leftovers that were from Thanksgiving dinner. I was pleased about the turkey stir-fry as I ate every last bit of it.

"So, what do you think?" asked Reiko.

"It's good and it's the best way to make it out of the turkey that was left over," I said.

"Grandfather also had a turkey on hand, but he left it for us."

"Thanksgiving was hectic, but we all had our family members here, including Kansas Tang, who forced his sons to work in the kitchen all night for their actions while being targeted by the Rakuen Priesthood. We all had our fun with Thanksgiving that I even played a game of ping-pong with your grandfather, but he's much quicker with the racket than I am. No wonder he's known as the Sword of Alecrast."

To our shock, we saw someone coming into the office as I noticed him to be yet another Orc that was there on business. Reiko and I found him to be filled with an iron will as he was dressed for winter after travelling from the Southern Stride. He was wanting to give some details about what he saw as he was determined to put a stop into what happened down south.

"Are you the new Elder of the Order?" he asked.

"I take it that you're from the Southern Stride," I said.

"It's urgent that you need to hear this, sir."

"What happened to you?"

"Three days ago, I saw something in a supply train that was going up to where this village would be. It was horrible when there were dead bodies in there being smuggled by them, all eleven in total. When I left on the train, the ghosts of the dead followed me and they will stop at nothing to exact their vengeance against the one who started this failed operation in Terran trafficking."

Reiko and I saw the ghosts of the eleven emerge behind the Orc as they were standing firm. The sad souls had been dealt a horrible form of tragedy as they were even suffering from what happened on the train. It was also at that moment when I saw one of the ghosts hold up a picture of the one who smuggled them out of their homeland as it was someone that had been notorious for what he had been doing. The ghost was speaking a language that none of us had heard in a long time as I recognized it carefully.

"_Muerte a El Tigre Negro_," said the ghost. "_Danos la justicia!_"

"'Death to the Black Tiger," I translated. "Give us justice."

"You know the language of the Southern Lands," said the Orc. "Then I will give you my support. My name is Drogo Thrunvar. I take it that you know my uncle who helped you tackle a scarecrow back in Hakuro Hollow a few months ago."

"And I take it that you attracted those ghosts after you discovered the dead bodies in the train car. Looks like that we have to catch a tiger... a black tiger, but even the local law enforcement will have problems trying to keep him here in Kanto Village."

It was a challenge to me as I was about to make my way towards the Southern Stride. I wanted to find out more about what the infamous _El Tigre Negro _and the operation that he was heading. I had a new reasons to find the infamous Black Tiger and bring him to justice, for the ghosts would even be put to rest after what happened to them...

* * *

I walked towards the train station as I saw Henry-John hard at work in maintaining the place at hand. It was a bustle as I later noticed something pasted on the bulletin board. I saw the image of the man that the ghost mentioned. There was the image of the infamous _El Tigre Negro_ as his real name was plastered on the poster in bold black letters. I even noticed the bounty on his hand as it was close to ten thousand gaurhae, which was the currency here in the Northern Lands. The man had to be stopped before anything else happened as I was on my way to the Southern Stride to lay the victims of a failed trafficking to rest, even if it meant by salting and burning the bodies along with it. The tragedy of those sad souls were most likely to be in pain as they will have their form of justice soon enough.

"Hey, I bet that no one had caught the guy on the poster yet," said Henry-John as he was cleaning up the floors of the station. "His name's Francisco Gallegos. They say he's been known for collaborating with the the rest of the Coyotes that live down in the Southern Lands."

"Has he been seen by any of the townsfolk?" I asked.

"No, but there are a lot of Orcs that want his head for what he's been doing by smuggling Terrans up here just to escape the vicious gangs and corruption down there."

"Looks like the law enforcement here's primitive, but there are those who stand up and put a stop to anything that becomes suspicious here."

"By the way, how's Reiko doing?"

"She's filling out fine, which I am grateful for. As for the twins, they're due in April, but they might come early."

"And Mom's train will be rolling in soon..."

I heard the sound of the passenger train approaching as I later saw Drogo arrive on his wolf. When I saw him get off of his wolf, he was ready to return to the Southern Stride in order to seek out the one who sent those poor souls to their deaths. It was a job that was ready to be done as I had packed some extra clothes and weapons earlier. There was also a small box full of rice and fish in there as it had a pair of chopsticks in there. It was Reiko who made that for me, for I wouldn't be hungry on the train ride.

"You sure love your beloved wife, don't you?" said Drogo as he was putting his wolf into one of the stable carts. "She is precious to you, isn't she?"

"Reiko will always be precious to me," I said.

"I can tell that your wife's with child in which most of the dark forces are stopping at nothing to silence this omen."

"When the twins are born, I will watch over them just as I will watch over Reiko. And another thing, Reiko will always be my first and my last, for I will never marry again if something terrible happened to her."

"You have a primal devotion to her, but if you lose her, then the Rakuen Priesthood will end up giving you another bride in her place. It may be a cruel irony, but they are the ones who decide your future and if you refuse to marry after you lose your beloved, they will exact their method of bringing a curse on you."

I was reminded of the Rakuen Priesthood and their practices as I followed Drogo into the passenger car where we entered into one of the compartments with the train leaving. We were leaving Kanto Village as the trip to the Southern Stride would be something that I had never been to, for the job into finding the infamous _El Tigre Negro_ had to be done...

* * *

It had been three days since we left Kanto Village as I was sitting throughout the train ride. We were passing through Thranduil Valley as we saw the farmers winterizing their homes after the early snowfall. I was grateful that the people there were thriving since the Leviathan threat had been averted over there as I saw several people bringing in game for the winter. It was the start of the hunting season for the farmers as I also had to prepare the moment I got back home. It was peaceful as the train was even going through the mountain pass that leads to the border between the Northern Lands and the Southern Lands. The scenery of it was beautiful as I couldn't wait to tell Reiko about it when I got back. I was enjoying the train ride as I was on my way out of the Northern Lands in which I was into Orc territory.

I was in the Southern Stride as I saw many Orcs examining their crops for proper profit and food use. There were more on their wolves as they were escorting cattle and sheep for export. Over the years, Orcs had been known to be brutish and prideful as they were simply raiders and bandits, but after many centuries, the Orcs have prospered as I saw them hard at work doing their outside chores. Still, I had work to do as I saw several houses and buildings that were similar to those that came from the Old West back in the Elder Days. It was something that I had never seen before as the train came to a stop. When I got off, I grabbed my things as I was on my way to the station inside. By the time I got there, I saw Shotaro and Tenar examining the evidence from the train cart as they weren't too happy about what happened to those poor people who died in there.

"It's been a while," said Shotaro. "Looks like you're here to bait our trap to catch our wayward Coyote."

"As I recall, our wanted man's got his face plastered on every wanted sign, including Kanto Village," I said. "The man's also known by many illegal travellers as _El Tigre Negro_."

"_El Tigre Negro_ has been known for showing up in Kaldur just to play around with the ladies, then he goes back to his boss to lure in possible folk just to see a promise for a better life," said Tenar.

"And he's also going towards the station to check up on the 'merchandise' in the supply train," said Shotaro. "It's our chance to nab him before he returns back to the Central Front to lure in more possible victims, but first, we need to salt and burn the bodies after they get processed or else there would be vengeful spirits crawling all over the place."

"There could be a problem," said Drogo as he was carting his wolf out of the passenger train. "The people from the Central Front are very religious due to the Catholic doctrine that was built there in the trinity of countries there. In that repugnant religion, they believe that the body is a holy vessel that is fit for resurrection, but there are many ways to be brought from the ashes."

"This isn't about religion or politics," I said. "All I care about is sending the lost souls to rest and bring the criminal who did this to justice."

I was hell-bent on trapping the infamous _El Tigre Negro_ as I was eager to know what to do next. All I had to do was wait for the right moment to find and strike at the dastardly suspect who had a bounty on his head. It was the least I could do as I was doing my part as a member of the Order, for the spirits of those fallen eleven had to have their justice soon enough...

* * *

Reiko was at home cooking a hearty _nikujaga_ as she was watching the snow falling from outside of the castle while being in the kitchen. She was missing me as she was waiting for me to come back home after being away. She was feeling at the baby bump as she felt the twins moving inside of her. She wanted me to come back soon as she had a feeling that I would be alive and safe. When she put the pot of _nikujaga _on low to simmer, she left the kitchen as she went upstairs towards my office where my desk was. It was also in that moment that she noticed Dean going through the countless mail that was in a plastic container labeled, "junk," in green letters. She never expected him to go through my mail so readily as he was simply going through the invitations to other gatherings that I avoided since my stay on Alecrast, for he was about to lodge a complaint to the Review Board soon enough.

"Sammy, Sammy, Sammy," he said as he was looking at the mail that was in the junk box. "You sure know how to opt out on things."

"Brother, you know it's rude to go through Sammy's things," said Reiko.

"Look at this crap!" Dean sees the addresses on the mail as he was looking at them and opening them up. "'Free spa and massage at the Blue Iris,' 'Free coupons at the Lychee House,' an invitation to an ice cream social, another invitation to an ice cream social, an invitation to a chocolate party? These things are two months old by now. That's just wrong."

"Brother, Sammy didn't want to avoid them, but he has too much work on his hands with some of the members of the Order coming and going."

"Well, Sam's gonna have to face the music when he gets back, 'cause he's got a social rep to uphold here."

"He could end up putting it in that mail pile there."

"No, he won't, 'cause I'm gonna lodge a complaint to the Review Board about this. Sam's been dodging the fact that he's been called to many invitations and turning them down in which there had been times that I hear people talking about him how he stays in this castle doing nothing but watching over things, cataloguing incidents and stuff, and tending to the new brood every time. He's been putting himself last all the live long and it's _not_ gonna get past _me_."

"You can't scold Sammy right now. He's far away."

"Watch me; I'm gonna make damn sure that he accepts those invitations to such parties and free stuff. If he's an Elder of the Order, then he's gonna have to live up to his social rep before it goes directly down the toilet. If I were him, I'd be getting a massage and free food, but he can't put too many things off forever."

Reiko watched Dean leave my office as he was ready to put me in my place the moment I got back home. He didn't like the fact that I was ditching too many invitations as he was about to launch a complaint to the Review Board in the Order's main headquarters. He would soon put me in such a bizarre predicament, but there would be a time that I would end up facing the music sooner or later...

* * *

I was waiting in the station as I was keeping watch over whoever was coming and going. The sight of people waiting for the trains had started to get a little boring until I saw a familiar fiend walking towards the empty supply car on the track. He was sent by his bosses in which he had to "check up" on the merchandise that died in there as he noticed that the car itself was empty. There was nothing in it as he was seeing nothing but personal belongings and illegal documents. He had a feeling that the local law enforcement took the bodies to the morgue as he would hit there the moment he was ready to find out who and what took the merchandise from the train.

He was starting to get irritated as he was about to get out of the train car, but I was spotting him as I tailed him down. He was scared as he drew out his gun and was ready to shoot until I brought my own and pointed it at him. I didn't want him to leave as I was ready to turn him in soon enough, for the eleven souls who lost their lives would have their voices heard and justice being dealt with. We were in the the train car as we were facing each other in such a malignant standoff here.

"Francisco Gallegos," I said as I was standing firm. "You have a warrant for your arrest and a bounty on your head."

"You have nothing on me, Gehenna _gringo_," he snarled.

"Your activities consist of human trafficking from the Central Front in which your handlers deal into all things illegal. Looks like the rest of the Coyotes will miss you when we bring you to the local _policia_."

"I know all about you..., Sam Winchester..." I see his eyes flash a familiar glossy black. "You're a member of the Order of Letters and perhaps my illegal activities with the Coyotes are doing more than just human trafficking."

"You're a demon in a meatsuit, aren't you?"

"No, _gringo_, I'm a pure demon and my handlers would do anything to stop you from killing me."

"You sent eleven people to their deaths, didn't you?"

"I was just taking them to work in the factories up north." I turned around and saw the door to the train car close behind me. "Still, after the bodies were decayed, I was hankering to extract their souls until that Orc came here. Yes, Drogo's what you call a soul attractor in which those spirits followed him so I wouldn't catch them for harvest."

"Harvest for what? Answer me!"

"A woman with red hair demanded that _El Jefe_ and the rest of the Coyotes bring up the souls so she could turn them into demons like me."

"So, you and the rest of the Coyotes made a deal with Abaddon, didn't you? It's ironic that you did something like that, but your deal will backfire."

"I had my fun, _gringo_, but I'm gonna take you out right now."

I fired a shot into Gallegos' right shoulder as he buckled and didn't fall down. He really was a corporeal demon after all as he was itching to kill me until I used my raw power to subdue him. The power inside me was stronger than normal as I pinned Gallegos against the wall of the train car and killed him on the inside out. He was a demon who did dirty dealings that led to the deaths of those people that were found here as he was finally getting justice done to him. I saw the demon catch on fire as he was burning into ashes. It was over as I saw the door to the train car open up in which Shotaro, Tenar, and Drogo were stunned to see what was left of Gallegos' body. Even though the infamous _El Tigre Negro_ was wanted dead or alive, the bounty was ready to be served as I stood firm into bringing justice for the fallen.

"You killed him, didn't you?" asked Drogo.

"Drogo, the wanted man in question was a corporeal demon who not only dealt into human smuggling, but something unholy," I said.

"What kind of dirty dealings are you talking about, Sam?" asked Tenar.

"The eleven people who died in that train car were being carted not only for the so-called promise for a 'better life,' but for the harvesting of their souls in which Drogo had the ability to attract them to him like a moth to a flame."

"I'm... a soul attractor?" asked Drogo.

"It's a godsend that we came here to trap Gallegos, but having him killed surely puts our trap already filled," said Shotaro.

"The souls of the dead can now find peace..." Drogo sees an ethereal light come through the ceiling of the train car. "They can now be in Heaven, for justice was already done..."

We all saw the souls of the eleven people enter into Heaven as we saw the light fade away. We averted a threat as we all had our work cut out for us. Still, the thought of soul harvesting had turned my stomach as I wanted to shut them down at all costs, for the Demon War has now reached such troubling foes, such as the infamous Coyotes. I was ready to bring a stop to anything or anyone who would bring such harm to the innocent as I had all that raw power within me, for there would be justice brought against those who would do such dastardly deeds...

* * *

Later on in the evening, I was in the station as I received my part of the reward of the bounty that we collected earlier. Still, I was worried about what had happened earlier as I had a feeling that the business with the Demon War had gotten worse. I simply wanted to go back home as I wanted to make sure that Reiko and Dirk were alive and safe. I wanted to make sure that they were protected. It was something that I vowed to do as I was expecting the twins soon. Still, I continued to watch the trains go by as I was getting tired until I saw Drogo come here standing in front of me.

"The trains to the Northern Lands are on hold right now," he said.

"I see...," I said.

"According to the Travel Commission, snow occurred in the mountain pass while it's being picked up in order for safe journeys."

"It's gonna be hell for me coming back."

"You have went up against one of the Coyotes that was in demon form and destroyed him with that raw power that you have and you're going home? Surely, it is dishonor to leave prematurely before you got acquainted here in the Southern Lands."

"Then, I'll leave in the morning, which would be feasible."

To my shock, I saw Shotaro and Tenar grab me from the station as they were ready to take me towards a place that I had never been to. With Drogo following, he tailed us as we were going into a saloon where many drinks and food was served. I had never seen many Orcs in there before as they were having a good time while being civil to everyone around them. I even noticed that there was a black "x" marked on the man I eliminated earlier as I saw several Orcs raising their glasses into the latest takedown in their crusade against the Coyotes. By the time we were all settled in, I noticed several Orcs staring at me as they even viewed me as a man who stood against one of the infamous Coyotes and lived to tell the tale, for I was gaining more recognition as not only as a member of the Order, but a man who would stop at nothing to protect the innocent with my life and send the fallen to rest.

"Looks like that you're the toast of the town," said Tenar.

"I've never seen many Orcs here just stare at me before," I said.

"The rest of the Orcs had many problems with the Coyotes in the past, but they even had their fill of killing a few of them the moment they did bad business," said Shotaro.

"Terran trafficking isn't something that can be taken lightly," said Drogo. "It must be stopped and the Coyotes are a threat."

"Still, there's the Demon War going on," I said. "If any one of you had heard of Abaddon before, then you need to know about her immediately."

"Who is this Abaddon?"

"She's a Knight of Hell from the Elder Days," said Shotaro. "Back then, she was once killed by the First Blade, which is now in the possession of the Clovis MacVicker's bastard, Hideyono Kuronaga. All of us should be careful now that Abaddon's been resurrected a hundred years prior and waiting for the moment to take over Hell. She even showed up on Kaijirin when Gramps was nearly killed in the crossfire, only to be rescued by Sam and my little brother. Still, we have to watch our backs, along with Hideyono and that infernal First Blade in his hands."

"Hideyono also bears the Mark of Cain, which makes him dangerous," I said.

"I heard about the Mark of Cain before. It gives the possible victim power of a demonic scale in which can even wield the First Blade, but if the bearer is killed, he or she is reborn... as a demon. Still, you and Reiko are our top priority to protect because of the possible game changer, so I suggest that you be prepared to face such dangers here."

I was prepared for the worst as I had to watch out for the most possible dangers that ever occurred. The land in the Southern Stride had been more like something out of a western as many people display their form of justice on criminals who either break the law or harm the innocent. As a member of the Order, I had to be on top of things, for there would be those who strike without warning if not careful...

* * *

The office of the Coyotes' villa and shanty towns were quiet as usual as they were getting word from an underling that was undercover in Kaldur. It was in the Aztecan city of Rio Rojo that poverty had skyrocketed due to the widening gap between the rich and poor here. Unbeknownst to many, the villa where the Coyotes stayed at was a place called _El Zona Norte_ in which it served as a hub for illegal trafficking of either humans, humanoids, guns, drugs, and other things. When the underling returned to the villa, he was hearing the head honcho, known as _El Jefe_, getting ready to lay his own brand of retribution against possible failure while getting out his gun.

"Francisco Gallegos is dead," said the underling in Spanish.

"What?! Is _that_ what happened in Kaldur?" yelled _El Jefe_ as he loaded his gun with bullets in Spanish. "There will be vengeance against the one who killed _El Tigre Negro_."

"Witnesses saw a man with a jewel on his forehead appear and faced Gallegos when he showed his true form as a demon."

"I told Gallegos not to reveal his demon form, but he did anyway." _El Jefe_ points his gun at the underling as he was ready to shoot. "As for _you_, you don't deserve to live because of your failure to save _El Tigre Negro_."

The infamous _El Jefe_ shot the underling in the head as he fell on the floor. The head honcho of _El Zona Norte_ didn't tolerate failure or interference as he was determined to keep his illegal operations far hidden from those that want him dead. When he saw two of his servants bring in a body bag to collect the dead underling, he noticed Hideyono standing at the entrance as he was not too pleased at what happened up in the Southern Stride.

"I take it that you now know about what happened up in that town of those barbaric Orcs," he said in Spanish. "It's a shame that the Orc who saw the dead had the gall to attract those souls so they wouldn't be collected for Lady Abaddon's factories."

"_El Tigre Negro_ blew his cover when he lost his life in Kaldur," said _El Jefe_ as he put away his gun.

"To tell you the truth, the real threat is a man with raw power in his body."

"Raw power? Are you telling me a sick joke?"

"No, but he's a threat to all of us, including you, Lady Abaddon, and other radical foes that want him out of the picture, so I suggest that you keep watch. The factories that we supply are more than enough to keep the souls of the fallen from leaving, which would be perfect to supply the Army of Cain sooner than expected."

"I'll raise my gun to that!"

With a shot fired in the air, _El Jefe_ put away his gun as he was now aware of my presence. When he saw Hideyono leave, he was smiling as he displayed diamond and gold teeth in his mouth. He was now ready to hoist in more souls for the factories as the time to fight had gotten much dangerous than expected...

* * *

When I checked into the station, I was booked for a room for the night as I was cleaning myself up for the journey home. I missed Reiko dearly as I was longing to be with her again. The bathroom in my room was vast as it had a tub that was similar to the one that I used back in the fort on Gehenna. I was simply relaxing in it as I was thinking about Reiko, who was in my mind. She was stunning as I saw her dressed up in white while standing in a field of wildflowers. I was ready to have my way of her until I was being dragged back by an unknown force.

By the time I woke up, I found that I was asleep in the water without knowing it. There was Reiko looking at me as she was grateful that I was still alive after that near brush with drowning. I was staring at that familiar face as I noticed her scared out of her wits. Sitting up, I was in the tub as I was still naked. I was staring at her as I was in the buff in the tub that was drained earlier, for I had to get dressed soon enough. Standing up, I got out of the tub as I wrapped myself in a towel and was ready to get out of the bathroom with Reiko following me.

"You had me worried," she said as she saw me getting dressed in my nightclothes.

"Sorry about that," I said. "I was just tired, but I'm fine."

"I came here with Brother, Sister, and the rest of the Hunter Corps on their ship. They say that they're concerned for you."

"About what?"

"Brother found the old invitations and other things in your 'junk' box. He said that you've been avoiding such matters from other members of the Order."

"Reiko, I don't mean to put them off, but I can't stand by and let anything bad happen to you. Work and family needs come first and I can't let that slide." I saw Reiko frown as I was most likely to cheer her up. "I know that you matter, but there are times that we get so occupied. As soon as we get home, we'll settle this matter soon enough."

I was making sure that I had my words put to heart as I laid down in the bed that was similar to the one I slept in back in my room on Gehenna. In a quick moment, I noticed Reiko sitting on the bed as it was slightly bigger than normal. It was big enough for us as we laid down together until we heard the knock on the door. Getting up, I answered the door as I saw Kevin standing there to retrieve us so we wouldn't have to take the train ride.

"Dean's waiting for us, so we better get a move-on," he said.

"Did Shotaro and the others tell you about what happened here?" I asked.

"He did, but the higher-ups now know of what was going on because of that Orc that had a way with the ghosts."

"Drogo's a soul attractor, but there are others like him that have the gift into doing what he did, for the fallen spirits that died were earmarked for being in the soul factories that Abaddon's been running."

"Soul factories?" I nodded. "I bet that Master Colchuvar's gonna be pissed when he hears that."

"Anyway, I really did enjoy the long train ride down here. The mountain pass has the most majestic scenery that I had ever seen. I even saw an island of trees in a frozen lake."

"You can tell us about it later, but we gotta get back to the main headquarters and tell everyone about this form of news."

And so, I gathered my things as I was now ready to go. When Reiko and I followed Kevin out of the room, we were leaving the station as we went into the Hunter Corps ship while being on our way. I was in for an earful, but I also had to tell the higher-ups about what was happening there in the Southern Stride in order to shut down the soul factories before it was too late...

* * *

Ginryu was on his way to the holding cells as he was there to visit Crowley. When he went in there, he saw the ousted King of Hell laying on the bed as he was dressed in a white robe after taking a shower. He noticed him with a clay facial mask all over his face as two slices of cucumbers were covering his eyes. It was the most bizarre presentation that Crowley ever had as he was simply biding his time in order not to go insane in his time under house arrest.

"I bet that you were using something fit for a woman," said Ginryu.

"It's better than being bored to death," answered Crowley.

"I just got word from Shotaro Mitani about what happened in the Southern Stride earlier."

"What's going on down in Orc territory? Is it a war banquet?"

"Your nemesis, Abaddon, has been making dirty deals with the Coyotes due to the human trafficking that was going on there. Get this; the people who get lured there were actually earmarked for having their souls taken out of them and converted into more poor soldiers in the Army of Cain."

"So, Carrot Top's been bringing out her muscle by sealing the deal with the Coyotes into luring innocent illegal travellers to what is known as a 'promise to a new life.'"

"Harvesting souls isn't something that can be taken lightly, Crowley. This isn't the first time it happened, but it occurred in the time of the Elder Days during the Angel Expulsion. Still, we all need to be on our guard and so would you."

"By the way, if there is any more of that Elf girl's cooking, I would prefer to try some."

"I'll remind her, but right now, we have to focus on what's been going on between your main nemesis and the Children of Azazel that are fighting over your precious throne."

"Bollocks..."

Ginryu left Crowley's cell as he was on his way back to his office. He had his work cut out for him as he now knew about the atrocities that Abaddon and the Army of Cain had been planning behind the scenes. The soul factories was something that couldn't be ignored as action needed to be called for sooner or later...

* * *

The Hunter Corps ship landed in the clearing near the castle as winter was still there all over Kanto Village. I was up and dressed as I saw that it was morning already, but the snow was falling down right after the ship landed. Even Reiko followed me out as we were on our way home at last. When we entered the castle, we were coming inside as we took off our boots and went towards one of the center rooms where we found warmth due to a fresh fire that was lit in the fireplace. We were grateful that we were home as we were also expecting the Christmas season coming in full force.

"It's good to be home," I said.

"I hope that Dirk's okay," said Reiko.

"He's in school right now. I'm sure that he'll be safe."

"Are you sure?"

"Dirk's no stranger to the cold weather, but he did make a snowcat near his school."

"Let's hope that he's okay when he gets home..."

To my shock, I heard the sounds of footsteps approaching as I ran outside to see what was going on. I noticed Dirk sprinting home from school as he was happy to get a high score on his test from his teacher. It wasn't long until I saw a courier come here with more mail that I didn't want. When I received it, I had a feeling that I was about to be suckered into accepting another invitation to a social party that I didn't want right now. Tending to Reiko and our twins were my top priority as I had to make good on what I needed to do. It wasn't long until I saw Kevin sprinting to the castle yard as he was ready to tell me what I dreaded to hear."

"Sam," he said. "You're in trouble."

"What did I do this time? Is it the Rakuen Priesthood causing another stir?" I asked.

"No, it's the Review Board, One of us launched a complaint against you."

"Who would do that?"

"I just heard it, but if you get tagged by the Review Board, you're toast."

I had a bad feeling that I was in trouble as I had to face the Review Board the moment I was ready to go to the main headquarters of the Order. Whatever it was, I was in the hot seat as I was about to find out which member of the Hunter Corps started the complaint in mind...

**To be continued...**


	4. A Matter of Convalescence

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 4: A Matter of Convalescence**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

I was on my way to the main headquarters as I was about to face the Review Board since I was notified about it yesterday. I didn't want to go through what I was going to hear from them, but I had no say in the matter when I entered into the meeting room where the Review Board was having their session. I took the central stand as I was facing the panel of eight members of the group that were analyzing the actions of those who didn't stay on the straight and narrow path that was given to them and I was one of them. Yesterday, I heard that one of the Hunter Corps started a complaint against me for something trivial that made no sense as I had to hear those judges from the Review Board tell me off about my actions.

"This trivial matter needs to be resolved," I said as I was standing firm.

"According to one of the Hunter Corps, you developed a habit of turning down invitations to social gatherings and free coupons to the places here and other planets that are certain to welcome you," said one of the judges. "You can't just turn down possible things that are called to you and if that happens too much, your status as an Elder will be revoked and your social reputation will suffer."

"Too much is at stake. Just two days ago, I just eliminated a demon who was trafficking souls fit for being converted into demons themselves. I can't ignore that notion not for a minute."

"One of the Hunter Corps lodged a complaint against you in which you refused to answer the invitations that were mailed to you for months," said another judge.

"Is going to such wasteful social gatherings and getting free things more important than staying on top of matters that worry us? We can't ignore the Demon War. We can't ignore the Coyotes helping Abaddon do her dirty work. There's also the Leviathan threat that has to be stopped just like anything else that's been deemed troubling. All of that can't be ignored, you know."

"Sam Winchester, as I recall, you received invitations from the Kanzaki Clan about their ice cream socials, didn't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"They're quite persistent into inviting you to come to them and they will get their answer the moment you accept their invitation this time. Your efforts into refusing invitation to social gatherings among other members of the Order must cease at once. Your efforts into avoiding free coupons for massages and other things also must cease as well. You have been warned that if you avoid another invitation to a social gathering, your status as an Elder of the Order will be revoked. Is that understood?"

"Ma'am I understand very well, but these threats can't be put on the sidelines."

"There are other members of the Order that can deal with the threat," said the first judge. "You can't just get all of this at once. Also, you should get a physical on both your normal health and mental capacity before you go."

I had been delivered an ultimatum as I had to abide by the rules of the Review Board. I didn't want to go to any social gatherings as I had so much at stake. There had been three big threats on our radar as I didn't want to ignore them, for I had to get rid of them one step at a time in which there would be no social gathering to attend if those issues got their way. When I left the room where the Review Board was, I spotted Dean standing in front of me as he was making sure that I didn't shirk the fact that I was about to be subjected to the most heinous social gatherings that I didn't want to go to.

"You did this, didn't you?" I said as I was starting to get a little annoyed.

"Someone had to put you in your place," said Dean.

"You don't know what's been happening, do you?"

"I heard it from the horse's mouth about your report on those goons from the Central Front doing more than just illegal trafficking."

"The one who conducted that operation was a demon with a bounty on his head. There's also something else when the souls of those poor people were earmarked for being used in soul factories."

"Soul factories?" I nodded. "Is _that_ what's been going on?"

"The ringleader in the Central Front lives in a secluded villa known as _El Zona Norte_ and he's also known as _El Jefe_, but he made a dirty deal with Abaddon of all people."

"The Cross Corps is all over it, so you don't have to worry."

"I have all means to worry, Dean!" I was becoming more irritated as I felt my heart racing with my breathing becoming more intense. "What if one of those things pocketed your own soul while I sit by and be bored with those infernal inconveniences? It can't slide and you know it!" Pain flared in my chest as I felt my knees buckling. "And for the last time, I won't be going to no social gatherings and I'll even put away and refuse invitations if I have to! Work and family trumps my own needs because it matters! If anything bad ever happened while I go out dancing badly, the burden would be on _me_! The Review Board can attempt to revoke my status, but I _will _make sure that no one will die from all this calamity! There's also the fact that Reiko and our unborn twins would end up in Abaddon's hands if we're not careful..."

I felt the pain in my chest flaring up even worse as I fell to the floor. I was starting to hyperventilate as all that stress was getting to me. Dean was stunned that he noticed me full of stress as he dragged me towards the hospital area. It was trouble for me as I was being escorted towards a waiting room where a cot was next to the bathroom. When I was set down, I felt my heart going into overdrive as I couldn't take the stress about the problems that reached the Order's desk every day. I was done for as I was about to be delivered the ultimate blow into keeping me into such wasteful gatherings and other things that didn't matter to me.

"I don't want to go to any social gathering," I said as I opened my eyes.

"What, and let your social rep go down the toilet?" said Dean as he was sitting in a chair next to a cot. "While you were out doing your business down south, I looked into your 'junk mail' and saw all those invitations that were two months old. Hell, you even had coupons for free things that hadn't expired yet."

"Why don't you and Magda use them?"

"Those aren't ours, they're yours."

"Then I'll give them away."

"No you won't!" I saw Dean sieze me by the scruff of my kimono as he was starting to get serious. "You're _not_ gonna put off anything, Sammy! When was the last time you actually enjoyed yourself? Halloween? Thanksgiving? Well, none after those! Hell, you don't even celebrate your own birthday! It's sad, but it's the truth."

"I never celebrate my birthday because it's just like any other day."

I saw a nurse come into the waiting room as she was expecting me to come into the doctor's office. Getting up, I was starting to get dizzy as I noticed Dean helping me into the doctor's office where I noticed an Elf in a labcoat looking through medical records. He noticed that I was in deep stress as he was ready to examine me the moment I sat down on the examination table. I was humiliated by such problems as I just wanted to go home for the rest of the day. I had too much to worry about as I didn't want it to slide too much until I was feeling an intervention coming forth without consent.

"Well, let's have a look at you," said the doctor as he shoved a thermometer into my mouth. "This isn't the first time you avoided the social scene since you came here. Hell, Granny had to cancel after low turnout of the ice cream socials she tried to plan?"

"Granny?" asked Dean.

"My grandmother's Jun Kanzaki and she's been a widow since Grandpa passed away years ago."

"Wait, you're Daisuke Kanzaki, aren't you?"

"Yep, and Dad's been wanting me to stay put here since he also took medical school with me."

"Well your old man ought to be proud of you."

"He is, but he up and bit it ten years ago after he helped the Hunter Corps shut down SucroCorp on Harkonnen."

That incident rang a bell as I felt the thermometer being taken out of my mouth. Daisuke read the reading as he noticed that I had a temperature of 100.8. He was relieved that I didn't have too much of a fever as I saw him roll up my kimono sleeve and exposed my left arm. When he swabbed it with alcohol while tying a band around it, he was ready to do some blood work on me as he got out a needle and pricked it into the exposed vein. I felt the pain of the needle as I saw Daisuke draw blood from me. When that was over, I had a bandage place over my arm as I was relieved that the worst was over. When I felt the blood pressure cuff wrap around my other arm, I was being checked as I remained firmly still. When I felt the blood pressure cuff being taken off my arm, I was about to be checked the rest of the way as I was about to have my heart and lungs listened to.

"Now, you need to breathe deeply," said Daisuke as he was listening to my heart and lungs with his stethoscope. "There's a slight twitching in your heart in which it triggers more than just stress. Are you feeling okay?"

"I had too much on my mind," I said.

"You _always_ have too much on your mind," said Dean.

"There's too much at stake already. I can't just sit there and sulk at a tea party!"

"Now, now; let's not get yourself worked up right now," said Daisuke. "Your lungs are also in a bind due to all the stressors that get built up."

"Are you saying that I have to take the week off?"

"It's better than having the Review Board hounding your ass all the time," said Dean.

"Then I'll have to endure all those social gatherings that tend to get boring all the live long."

"Hey, if you end up taking off for home, you'll end up going back to that office of yours and putting the invites and free coupons in the junk box like you always do."

"Do you have to butt in?!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," said Daisuke as he heard my heartbeat increasing through his stethoscope. "You need to calm down right now. As for your stress, it needs to be under control, so I suggest that you take a week off and enjoy the social stuff and free coupons. There are other members of the Order that can kick ass and take names, Sam. You can't just shoulder the burden all on your own." He puts away his stethoscope as he goes to his desk and writes a note until he gives it to me. "You're staying put for two weeks until you heal. As for the blood work, I'll analyze it and make sure that nothing bad happens. Besides, a little convalescence never hurts, so I suggest that you take it easy and lay off the work for a while until you can function again."

I got up as I was slowly getting out of the doctor's office with Dean hauling me out of there. I was put on an unwanted sabbatical for two weeks as I was starting to both dread and hate it at the same time. I had too much on my hands as I couldn't let anything else slide, for the major threats can't be ignored, but I had to sit on the sidelines for a while, especially during the month of December. Christmas was coming in a week as I had to prepare for what was being thrown at me. By the time I made it into the main lobby, I saw an Elf standing in front of me as he was getting cross with what he heard earlier. Like Daisuke, he was also from the Kanzaki Clan as he is part of the Order just like the rest of us, but he tends to work a lot.

"How dare you shirk your work!" he yelled as he was itching to punch someone.

"I was put on a two week sabbatical, so don't try anything," I said.

"Didn't you read the Bible? God hates shirkers who don't do their part in the Order of Letters and that so-called 'sabbatical' is just another way of being lazy. 'The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.', Proverbs 13:4. So, Sam Winchester, are you a sluggard or are you gonna stay the course like other people?"

"No..., I'll get back to work and tell Daisuke that I'm gonna have to cancel my sabbatical so I can appease God."

"That's better, Sam Winchester. There's some more quotes just to keep you in your place: 'In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.', Proverbs 14:23. 'But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.', 1 Timothy 5:8. 'The hand of the diligent will rule, while the slothful will be put to forced labor.,' Proverbs 12:24."

"Sam, wait," said Dean as he saw me go out towards the station. "Didn't you hear Daisuke earlier? He said that you return to work until you were healed."

"I don't wanna be a sluggard that shirks my duty, Dean."

"Hey! Didn't my grandson tell you that you need to rest?" said an unknown voice as I turned around to see the one who arrived. "Shisui, you should be ashamed!" I saw the person reveal itself as it was another High Elf with dark purple hair while dressed in black clothing. "If your father found out that you've been teasing the ill, he'd be turning in his grave right now."

The High Elf was a the most beautiful woman in the world as she was youthful for someone who had grandchildren. It was then when I recognized the Kanzaki sigil on her medallion as she came from the clan that hosted the ice cream socials every once in a while. It was an honor to see her as I was elated that she came just in time to subdue Shisui by punching him in the face.

"That's for keeping the future ruler of all from coming to our social gatherings," she said as she saw Shisui reeling from the blow he received. "You may have kept him out of them due to the work ethic, but not this time. And you believe in that stupid Bible that all people have to work all the time. Have you ever heard of the term, _karoshi_ before? It means 'death by overwork' and Sam's been working harder than anyone here. I heard what Daisuke said earlier while I was in the doctor's office and Sam can't shoulder the burden alone, you know. Now, get your ass in the station before I nail it!"

We all watched Shisui skitter away as he dreaded another attack from his grandmother. We were all going home as we were waiting for the train that was bound for Kanto Village. As for me, however, I was most likely to be going home as I was about to return to my office again. I couldn't shirk my work as I was about to be in for a rude awakening. Shisui was right about one thing as I couldn't abandon my duties no matter how many times I become put into the doctor's office.

"Hey, where are you going?" asked Dean as he saw me sit down on the bench.

"I'm going home... to Kanto Village," I answered.

"You're returning to your work again instead of basking in your convalescence like the rest of us?"

"I don't have a choice here, Dean. I can't shirk my duties, no matter what the Review Board says to me."

"So, you're going back to work instead of enjoying your sabbatical?"

"I'm cancelling my sabbatical. 'Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.,' Romans 12:11."

"Don't be like my idiot grandson," said the High Elf as she sat down beside me. "He may be a pain in the ass, but his fervent devotion to reading the Bible can do more harm than good. Even my little brother pays no heed to that junk."

"'Little brother?' I take it that you're related to the Mitani Clan while you married into the Kanzaki Clan, didn't you?"

"Sam, this is Jun Kanzaki," said Dean. "She's also Ippei's sister and a member of the Order like the rest of us."

I extended my hand as I felt it tremble. I wanted to shake Jun's hand as I was starting to feel guilt wash over me. I should've accepted the invitation to the social gatherings from her two months ago as I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. I wanted to recover as I was trying hard not to think about work in my office back in the castle. By the time I saw the train arrive, I went inside as I sat down in a compartment with Dean and Jun following me in suit. I was sitting down alone as I wanted to go home, get a bath, and go straight to bed. After hearing from the Review Board and everyone around me, I just wanted to go straight home as I felt the stinging guilt attack me to the core. It was all too much to bear as I felt ashamed about what I did, for it was something that I was about to live with while going back home to Kanto Village.

"Sammy!" cried a familiar voice as I got out of the compartment to see.

I saw Reiko with a bag in her hands as she was walking towards me. I was in for it as I was afraid to face her since she looked through my "junk mail." It was in that moment that I didn't see her get mad at me as she showed me all the free coupons that were good for the places that were having good deals on things, including free massages and food at an all-you-can-eat buffet. There was even the invitation to the ice cream social that had the Kanzaki seal on it as I couldn't refuse it this time.

"How did you get here?" I asked.

"Our angel friend brought me," answered Reiko.

"Castiel did?" Reiko nods. "I take it that he also knew about the unwanted mail that kept piling up for two months, didn't he?"

"He said that he wanted me to bring these things to you."

"I take it that none of you would never take no for an answer."

"Hey, looks like the train to Kanto Village has been diverted to my place," said Jun as she came out of the compartment. "Reiko..., it's been a while since your father passed away."

"Auntie Jun...," she said as she was standing still. "When did you get here?"

"I just gave Shisui a good punch in the face for forcing too much work on Sam."

"And we're all going to the ice cream social after all," I said.

"Ice cream social? Please, Sammy, can we go?" asked Reiko.

"I'll do it just to recover so I won't fall apart."

I accepted the invitation at last as I was returning to the compartment with Reiko and Jun in tow. Sitting down, I was on my way to the Kanzaki residence as I was quiet along the way. I was in a wreck as I didn't feel like talking due to my behavior I displayed. I also had a feeling that I would be rejected by everyone due to not attending to many social gatherings here on Alecrast. It would only be a matter of time before I started my sabbatical in which I had to have plenty of time to recover during my convalescence soon enough...

* * *

When we arrived at the Kanzaki residence, we noticed it to be as big as both Ippei's place and the main headquarters as it was a place that had its own dairy farm, livestock, sugarcane, and cacao trees all being winterized until spring came along. There was a train station here as we were there when we got off and stretched our legs. When we all got in, we saw Daisuke return from main headquarters as he was ready to call it a day. We even saw Shisui coming home as he had his Bible in tow as well. I had a feeling that my convalescence would be interrupted as I had to guard myself very carefully. When we all came into the main house, we were greeted by Magda who tailed us in order to pick up Dean for the upcoming mission ahead.

"I finally found you," she said as she was ready to get Dean into the Hunter Corps ship that was parked into the clearing. "We're going on a mission to Gethos again."

"Well, duty calls," he said as he was ready to follow Magda.

"Be careful, Dean," I said.

"Don't worry; I'll be coming back kicking ass and taking names." He briefly stops as he turned around to face me. "You know, our past lives suck. Yours screws up all the time while mine becomes a demon. Even though we're reminded of them, they're a part of us so we won't falter. Anyway, you better stick to your sabbatical or else I'll kick your ass in real time."

I nodded as I saw Dean and Magda depart towards the ship that was about to leave Alecrast. Still, I had to stick to my convalescence as I was going towards the business sector of the Kanzaki household. It was a string of fancy stores and places that I've never been to before. Still, one place caught my eye as it had the words, "Blue Iris," in bold blue letters blazing on the front. I had never seen anything like it before as I had one of the coupons for a free spa and massage. Just as I was about to go inside, I saw Shisui blocking my way as he was most likely to be blocking my every way. He still wanted me to return home and resume my work as he would stop at nothing to prevent me from enjoying my convalescence.

"You're not welcome here, Sam," he said as he took the coupon out of my hands. "Sluggards _work_ for their place in life, not be lazy into indulging things all the time."

"I want my coupon back," I said.

"Then come and get it, shirker."

I saw Shisui trying to throw the coupon up in the air as he felt a hand grab him and gave the coupon back to me. I had a feeling that the familiar person who intervened as he stood behind from the Hunter Corps team against their wishes, for we could never hear the end of it the moment Dean returned from his mission.

"Look at that, another shirker," said Shisui as he was staring at familiar face standing firm. "Did you become a sluggard just like Sam?"

"I'm not a shirker or a sluggard," he said. "My name's Kevin Tran and I'm a member of the Hunter Corps under the command of Colchuvar Grunwald. Also, I was given orders to protect Sam and Reiko, so I suggest that you behave."

"I don't have to because God makes the rules."

"Shisui!" cried Jun as she came to my aid. "I thought I told you not to pick on Sam! Now, go to the main house and get yourself cleaned up for supper." She sees Shisui leave as she was staring at me. "As for _you_, why don't you go to the Blue Iris and get a massage. You have all that time in the world right now."

"What about Reiko?" I asked.

"She's got company right now. Moro's here."

I was glad that one of Reiko's siblings other than Shigeru and Shotaro was here as I saw Moro walking along with her. She was telling Moro about the pregnancy as even I saw the baby bump protruding from her dress. I was happy that Reiko wasn't depressed or sad as I was starting to enjoy my convalescence a little bit more. I didn't have to worry as I was grateful that Moro was here for a visit just like we were.

"I take it that you've been working hard at your place," she said.

"I needed a sabbatical after being examined at the doctor's office," I said.

"Christmas is coming in two weeks. I can't wait to celebrate it."

"Sammy..., aren't you coming with us to the Sweet Lace Bakery with us?" asked Reiko.

"No..., you go on ahead. Besides, you hadn't seen your sister in months anyway."

"Hey, I came here on Halloween once," said Moro.

I watched Reiko and Moro leave with Jun as I was on my way to the Blue Iris. I had the free coupon that was good for one massage and spa as I entered inside. It was a well-managed establishment inside of the Kanzaki residence as I used my coupon and was on my way to the bathhouse inside. I stripped off my clothes as I went in and cleaned myself in the wash basin while I scrubbed myself with the soap and water at my disposal. I was soapy all over as I even washed my hair as well. By the time I rinsed myself off, I made my way to the hot springs as I was enjoying myself without any worry. I was thinking about Reiko as I wanted to see her the moment I got out of the Blue Iris.

Fifteen minutes went by as I saw a familiar face just waltz in here after cleaning himself earlier. It was Kevin who followed me as he was determined to protect me, even if I didn't want him to. I felt like my convalescence was slightly interrupted, but at the same time, I had to respect the decision of the Hunter Corps as they were the ones who brought me from despair months ago. I was starting to gain respect back since they came and brought me back to the Order as I mattered a lot more than anything else, for I had a lot to be thankful for.

"You know, you don't have to protect me forever," I said.

"Master Colchuvar told me to stay behind because you need to be protected," answered Kevin.

"I take it that you have respect for the man who intimidates anyone with his Claymore."

"Master Colchuvar rescued me when I was little. It's ironic that our past lives met long ago, but mine got killed by an angel back in the Elder Days."

"I take it that you had bad luck long ago."

"I was born on Atreides when I was once abducted by the Leviathans and taken to SucroCorp's headquarters on Harkonnen. I was about to get eaten until I saw the team who saved me and shut SucroCorp down. There had been many casualties, but the bravest one in the bunch was Master Colchuvar. He came in swinging, even at the loss of his leg in which he got a prosthetic one to replace his lost limb."

"I heard all about it, but now that SucroCorp's active once again, we're gonna have to shut it down."

"Hey, didn't you get some of the glory into standing up to those monsters?"

"Yes, and three times I stopped them with the help of the rest of the Order."

"You sure worry too much, don't you?"

"There's too much at stake. I have Reiko carrying my children inside of her, I have Dirk to look after, and I have all that work being thrown at me. It's ironic that I've been labeled a shirker, but I have to abide by doctor's orders."

"You're not sick, are you?"

"This morning, I had to go to the Review Board in which I have to go to every social gathering that gets thrown at me or else I'll lose my status as an Elder of the Order."

"The Review Board gets too serious about things, but Dean's the one who flies off the deep end due to your well-being that's threatened."

"He can't worry about me forever. He has his own objectives as a soldier. I can't keep him pinned to me for as long as I live. He has his own life as a member of the Hunter Corps, but-"

"Sam, that's your brother. He has every right to worry about you. Besides, you can't do all of this alone."

Kevin had a point there as he got out of the hot spring. I also followed suit as I wrapped a towel around my waist and got into clean clothing while leaving the bathhouse area. Even though I was dressed up in a white kimono and overrobe, I was on my way to get a massage as I saw a masseuse come in and was ready to do her work. Laying down on a table, I had my back exposed as I felt the masseuse's hands kneading onto my back. I was in a dire need of something like this as I was in heaven. I wanted to tell Reiko about this as I was almost finished. I didn't want it to stop as I was finally done at last. Getting up, I was sitting in a chair as I had my hair wrapped in a towel complete with a green tea facial masked slathered all over my face. With two slices of cucumbers on my eyes, I was just sitting there as Reiko and Moro arrived to see me.

"What's with the salad?" asked Moro.

"It's a facial," I said.

"Isn't that for women?"

"I couldn't refuse, but at least it's better than suffering from a breakdown."

"Oh, dear...," said Reiko as she couldn't help but smile at me. "Sammy, you look funny."

"I do?"

I was also feeling lighthearted as I didn't get angry at my predicament after all. I was enjoying life to the fullest as I couldn't help but sit around and take in the spa atmosphere at the Blue Iris. I was slowly recovering, for I would be regaining my strength after what happened to me earlier...

* * *

After the day in the spa, I was on my way towards the main house in the Kanzaki castle. I was seeing countless guests coming and going as they were simply trying the ice cream and other treats that were being set up for the social gathering. I had never seen anything like it before as I was seeing all the flavors that were on display in many colors that were sharp to the palate of those who were hankering for that tasty treat. I was looking at all forms of ice cream that had been made from this castle as I tasted a spoonful of strawberry flavor in my mouth. It was the most amazing ice cream that I ever tasted as I wanted to tell Reiko about it. I had a feeling that Dean's orders did me good as I wasn't worrying all the live long. I was enjoying my convalescence as I didn't have to stress on too much. I had others to stop the dangers because I can't do all of this alone as I also didn't have anything else to worry about.

It wasn't long until I saw Shisui come into the social gathering as he wasn't too pleased with me not working. He always believed in hard work as he wasn't about to let me go not for one minute. I didn't want to face him, but I was caught in a bind as I was about to leave the ice cream social prematurely. I had a feeling that I wasn't welcome here as I was ready to go home right away.

"Shirkers don't deserve ice cream," he said.

"I'm here to enjoy myself, not have all that stress," I said.

"It's all fake because it's also an excuse to get out of your work."

"Leave me alone, Shisui." I felt the squeezing chest pain flare up once again. "I have a doctor's note about my predicament."

"Liar! I know people who have doctor's notes and lie about their condition. You're still a shirker and a sluggard."

"Shisui, what the hell are you doing?" cried Daisuke as he arrived. "He's telling you the truth and no, he's not a shirker."

"He's faking it, Brother." I collapse onto the floor. "Just look at him for being lazy!"

"No, he's _not_ faking it." Daisuke rushes to my aid as he saw me hyperventilating. "Calm down, Sam. You need to slow your breathing down, alright?" I was starting to get a little calmer as I didn't faint. "You're getting the hang of it, but please stay away from the stress, alright?"

"Daisuke...," I said as I got up on my feet. "You're home early."

"You shouldn't listen to what my brother says. He's too stubborn to enjoy life after working." We notice Shisui leaving as I was walking towards the collection of ice cream flavors on the table. "I have a feeling that if my brother works too much, he'll drop soon."

"He always works, doesn't he?"

"He may call himself diligent, but too much of it can weigh the body down. Speaking of which..., I looked at your blood work. It's nothing like I've never seen before. There was an influx of stress after overexerting that raw power, which leads to the symptoms that you displayed: hyperventilation, fast heartbeat, and a squeezing chest pain. Looks like after this social gathering, I suggest that you go home and rest."

"I'll try not to let the stressors get to me, but there will be a time when my convalescence will be interrupted against my wishes if I'm not careful."

I got up towards the ice cream table as I noticed Reiko getting herself some in a bowl. Without no further hesitation, I grabbed a bowl as I scooped me up some ice cream in it. I tasted the chocolate and other ingredients that were in it as I was in heaven. I was glad to be here as I wasn't alone in broad daylight. I was enjoying myself so gracefully as I was standing by Reiko's side. We were sitting at a booth as we were smiling at each other. After we finished up our ice cream, I began to feel at Reiko's stomach as I felt the twins moving inside of her. It had been five months since we created that new life within Reiko as I wanted our sons to come out in the world. Still, I was in convalescence, but I was also expecting the Christmas holiday as I wanted to celebrate it at home with all the trimmings.

After sitting on the bench, we were heading towards the ballroom where we met up with Jun, who was simply checking up on the upcoming festivities that were in the Christmas holiday recess. She was a woman who was always up to things as she bore no ill will to me after rejecting those invitations that she sent two months ago. She was like Ippei as she was even related to him by blood, for she was part of both the Mitani and Kanzaki Clans.

"It took a matter of time before you finally showed up here," she said.

"It's an honor to be here," I said.

"It's also a huge godsend that you married my grandniece before Clement did."

"Who's Clement?"

"Clement MacVicker was a member of the rival clan we feuded with over the years. He wanted Reiko's hand in marriage, but Ippei refused to give her away due to the match between you and her that was designated by the Rakuen Priesthood. He wanted to take her _before_ marriage, but he was threatened with by one of the members of the Rakuen Priesthood, who was a Half-Elf named Marthona."

"Marthona?"

"Her full name is Marthona Ross, whose ancestor was known for getting into the crossfire between the feuding monster families, the Lassiters and the Duvals. She's a direct descendant of Ennis Ross, but there would soon be a time when she would be in the middle of another feud if she isn't careful. She's the only member of the Rosses that didn't marry due to the bad luck that happened in the time of the Elder Days. She's celibate, but she remained firm into setting up matches for possible bloodlines. As for that infernal feud between the Mitanis and MacVickers, it ended a long time ago as a certain Terran family brought us together without any of us knowing it. Your father, John, married Cynthia MacVicker in secret after your mother died and you married Reiko. All the same, we shouldn't dwell on the feud too much because there's a huge threat of events that we have to worry about."

"I hear you there."

"Still, if Clement took Reiko instead of you, he would've met the same fate that his father did."

"I heard all about it. Clovis MacVicker was executed because of the fact that he tried to keep Cynthia prisoner until the Priesthood caught wind of it and took him out. Anyway, I'm glad and really grateful that Reiko is in my life, for she's got a graceful beauty and a kind heart. I will also make it clear that she'll be both my first and last, for I will always love her for the rest of my life."

And I meant it. Speaking of Reiko..., Jun and I saw her eating the chocolate covered hazelnuts as she had a terrible craving for them. I didn't mind it as I noticed her eating away due to the cravings during her pregnancy. I was happy all the live long as I wanted to tell Dean about what I had in store...

* * *

Dean was in his quarters as he was going towards his next mission in the Hunter Corps ship he was in. He was on his way to Gethos as he was ready to do his job as a soldier. It would take days to go to Gethos and back as Dean was freshly cleaned after a shower in which he decided to sleep without his clothes on. He was also waiting for Magda to come to bed with him as he saw her come into his quarters also from a fresh shower all dressed in nothing but panties and his "Raise the Steaks!" t-shirt. The very sight of her enticed him as he wanted to take off that t-shirt and panties so he could take her before they arrived at their destination.

"So, we're far away from Alecrian space, but as soon as we reach a warp point, we'll take it," said Magda. "It's work, but the first place we'll be visiting when we get back to Alecrast will be the castle."

"As long as Sam doesn't get too stressed out, he's fine," said Dean.

"You worry about him, don't you?" Dean sees Magda crawl into bed next to him. "He's got Reiko with him."

"Don't forget Kevin. I told him to stay behind to protect Sam and Reiko because of the possible dangers that have been imminent."

"I guess that our work cut out okay after all."

"As long as we stick together, nothing goes wrong."

It was at that moment that Dean was touching the "Raise the Steaks!" t-shirt that Magda was wearing as he found that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath. He watched her take off the shirt as she was revealing her breasts to him. He wanted her as he was feeling at her breasts that were like a pair of erotic clouds just waiting to be watched. He was waiting for her to strip off her panties as he felt his member hardening up. It was at that moment that he finally got on top of her as he took them off of her and exposed her soft flesh between her legs. He was ready to give her his all as he was kissing her all over. He was even massaging her breasts as he was hell-bent on bringing her to such erotic pleasure that he had with him. He was ready to take her as he felt her body aching for his touch since their first time in the Impala in the shed.

With her legs spread, Dean dove in as he breached her defenses. He was inside of her as he was pleasuring her while moving inward and outward inside of her. Neither one of them couldn't get enough of what they had in each other as they were on the verge of a possible climax. Their lovemaking continued on until they got tired from such a powerful interlude. It was also that Dean spilled his livelihood inside of Magda as he got tired from such excitement. He had been fully sated as he was keeping Magda all to himself before the ship made it to the nearest warp point possible.

"Oh, boy; that was fun," said Dean as he pulled out of Magda.

"You sure had all that pent-up energy," she said as she was laying next to him.

"Still, going to our next hunting mission's gonna be a pain in the ass, I can tell you that."

"It's ironic that Sam gets the castle, but you're still a soldier."

"To tell you the truth, I looked into Sam's medical records. It's said that he's not fit for combat due to what happened to him on Gehenna years ago. Sylvanus always got on his ass and punished him for it. At one time, he was forced to sleep in the chicken house in the cold until Ginryu put a stop to it."

"Even with that raw power, he still has to contend with what's been dealt to him."

"Sam's also trying to push himself out of his element, only to be put back in the hole again, but there are times when he became sick because of the stress and overwork that took a toll on him. Even when I tried to tell him not to work too much, he didn't want me to worry too much, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He may have a calm and laid back exterior, but inside, he's suffering a lot more than any of us know."

"There's too much on his mind right now. Your brother also need us to soldier the good fight, for he can't take any of it on by himself."

"That's so true..."

And so, Dean and Magda turned off the light in their quarters as they slept in each other's arms. It would be a long trip to Gethos, but the mission would be something to fall back on until they met up with me again...

* * *

I returned home with Reiko and Kevin in tow as I saw Dirk doing homework in the dining room. He was glad to see us as he noticed that we brought back many sweets with us. It wasn't long until he ran towards us and was ready to give us a hug. He was glad that he wasn't alone as he had us here to make sure that he had friends and family with him always.

"So, what did you guys do?" he asked.

"We went to an ice cream social," said Reiko.

"Did you get any ice cream?"

"If we did that, it would've melt on the way home," I said.

"At least you came there so you wouldn't make your host mad."

"Jun Kanzaki is Ippei Mitani's older sister. She also has a vast castle like him in which she has her own dairy farm."

"I can't wait to go there when Christmas vacation starts. By the way, I wonder what Santa Claus looks like?"

I was staring at Dirk as he was more curious like me when I was young. Speaking of Christmas, I stared at the tree that was decorated with all the rustic décor that was strewn all over it. I was thankful as I didn't fight the good fight alone, for I was also grateful that I was looking at the positive outlook out of all of the trouble that I had over the years. I wasn't on Gehenna anymore, but I was glad to be on Alecrast more than anything as I wanted winter for a season instead of being frozen all over. Even Kevin was looking forward to Christmas as he stared at the top of the tree where the star was put on. He wanted to make sure that Dean and the others were safe as he was praying for their safety just as much as the rest of us were. With the holidays coming on strong, we all had to prepare for the feasts for the family and friends as we even had to make sure that they were all alive and safe.

"It's gonna be hell, but I hope that everyone comes back from Gethos," said Kevin.

"They will," I said. "They will have a home here the moment they come back."

"Let's hope that they're safe," said Reiko. "It's the least we can do for them."

"Dean's a soldier," said Dirk. "He kicks ass and takes names, so-"

"Watch your language," I said cautiously. "You're too young to say that word right now."

"I'm about to turn eleven in April, but I hope that the twins are born on my birthday."

We laughed at that sentiment as we were hoping for the best. The holidays were a time of joy instead of depression as I was most likely to make the best of them one small step at a time, even in my convalescence...

**T**o be continued...


	5. The Golem Cometh

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 5: The Golem Cometh**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own_ Supernatural _because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

Dirk was on his way home from school as he was ready to get home to the castle. He was ready to show me and Reiko the best test score that he had as he was taking the road towards home. With the snow falling down, he was wanting to get home right away until he saw a young girl hiding in a shrine near the road. Who was she? Where did she come from? All Dirk saw was that the girl was a human that came from out of town as she didn't want anything coming after her. She dreaded the notion that something was ready to follow her here as she had the urge to run away from what was coming after her.

"Hey, how come you're hiding here in the shrine?" asked Dirk out of curiosity.

"I can't come out of there right now," said the girl.

"Is there something after you?" the girl nods. "What does it look like? Is it a vampire? A rawhead? Or perhaps a werewolf?"

"No, it's a Golem that came to life the moment I left my village. I was chosen by my family to have that thing with me, but I'm not a rabbi because it's only reserved for men alone."

"By the way, my name's Dirk Matheson. I live in Winchester Castle. I bet that Sam's gonna be checking up on what's been following you."

"My name's Sachiko Higuchi. My family follow the Jewish traditions for as long as I can remember, but I always believed in the Shinto shrines that are built all over the roads."

"Jewish traditions?"

"My grandmother was a descendant of Aaron Bass, the rabbi who summoned the Golem in the Elder Days. I tried hard not to follow them even though my father manages a Shintoist temple, but my grandmother insisted that I summon that Golem I don't want. All of it belongs to the men, not women because we're weaker than they are."

"Not all women are weak. I know an Elf woman who's having twins and she's also the lady of Winchester Castle. Come on, let's go there."

Dirk grabbed Sachiko's hand as they were on their way into the town square in Kanto Village. The places themselves were filled with Christmas and Hanukkah décor as the holidays were in full swing. Still, Dirk's new friend had a feeling that the Golem that followed her would show up without knowing it, for her true destiny couldn't be ignored not for one bit...

* * *

I was in the infirmary area as I was not doing too well since yesterday. It had been two days since the ice cream social at Jun's home. I was coming down with a fever as I was coughing up a storm in which I wanted to make sure that Reiko was alright. I was suffering from a cold as I wanted to get up and move around, but I was forbidden to do so when I saw Reiko come into the infirmary area with a tray full of food in her hands. The smell of _nikujaga_ wafted in the room as I sat up and accepted the food that was given to me.

"Here you go," said Reiko as she gave the tray of food to me.

"Thank you," I answered.

"It's a shame that you came down with a cold."

"Don't worry about it." I was coughing as I was feeling the pinch of the illness that I had. "It's hell with a cold like this."

"I'm starting to worry about Dirk. He hasn't come home from school yet."

"He probably picked up some extra homework, but I hope that he's okay, too."

"I hope that he didn't get kidnapped..."

"Then I'm going after I finish up this food."

I started to eat the _nikujaga_ as I wanted to get better fast in order to find my wayward Cat Sidhe ward soon enough. The taste of the meat and potatoes were seasoned to perfection as I enjoyed every bite in it. By the time I was finished, I got up as I set the tray aside on a nightstand. I was ready to get up out of bed until I was stopped by Castiel and Yashamaru, who came out of nowhere. They were aware that I was nailed with a cold as I went back into bed immediately. I wanted to find Dirk right away, but I was being deterred by the very same people who stood firm over the castle.

"I can't just sit there while Dirk's in danger," I said as I laid back down.

"Dirk will be okay," said Castiel. "The Golem that's coming here will do no harm to him."

"Golem?"

"Don't try to get up, Sam," said Yashamaru. "You're ill and you need rest."

"I can't let Dirk face that Golem alone. If he's deemed a threat, the Golem will kill him."

I was panting from the fever that was climbing in me as I wanted to get up and find Dirk right away. He was my responsibility. He was my charge. I couldn't let the boy be in danger, no matter what the situation at hand. By the time I was about to do so, I was gently pushed back down in my bed as I felt the blankets covering me up even more. I saw Reiko holding my hand as she didn't want me to go out and get sick even worse, for there were others that would answer the call to retrieve Dirk if need be.

"Dirk..." I said as I was suffering from chills from the fever.

"Sammy," said Reiko. "Dirk will be fine. This place is his home. He'll return soon."

"She's right," said Castiel. "The boy's not in danger, but there would be a time when the wayward Golem would be a godsend."

I felt a lukewarm washcloth being pressed to my forehead as I was feeling the effects of the fever nailing me every minute. My body was wracked with pain as I wasn't feeling too well due to the illness that I had. Still, I had to be on top of things, but I also had a feeling that there would be more trouble lurking...

* * *

Dirk and Sachiko were on a trail that led to a string of Shinto shrines as they were going there to pray for the holidays. Even there was no sign of the Golem anywhere, they remained vigilant into avoiding it at all costs. When they reached the trail to Kripke Shrine, they saw a strange man dressed in black as he was ready to strike at any time. Dirk and Sachiko noticed that the man had blond hair and blue eyes as he even had a malignant armband on his right arm. The armband itself was red with a white circle and an infamous black swastika on it was a reminder of the terror of the infamous Third Reich back in the Elder Days.

"_Guten tag, Juden_," he said as he drew out a gun. "I take it that you were chosen to command the Golem, weren't you?"

"I'm not a Jew!" cried Sachiko. "My grandmother was, but the rest of us chose our own paths!"

"You are the direct descendant of Aaron Bass, the rabbi who helped take the Red Ledger away from us in the Elder Days."

"Only men are rabbis, not girls! Girls are meant to sew and cook for the home, not command a Golem! It's for men only!"

"You've been taught that all your life, _Juden_, but that doesn't mean that you were chosen to command such a clay thing!"

"Leave her alone!" cried Dirk as he threw a rock at the man in black. "I don't know who you are, but you're nothing but trouble!"

"Stay out of this, _kat__z__e_! You have nothing to do with this! I am from the Thule Society and I will make sure that the Golem's tamer will never tame the damn clay thing!"

Without warning, Dirk and Sachiko saw the Golem appear out of nowhere as he emerged and stomped the man from the Thule Society into one bloody crunch. Dirk and Sachiko didn't know what to think as they saw the Golem up close. He was both scary and heroic at the same time as he stopped in front of them. Sachiko cowered in front of him as she was scared to death of his appearance. She didn't want to go near him as she mainly viewed the traditions of taming the golem be made for men only, but all of it was going to change in front of her in hindsight.

"Go away!" she cried as the Golem refused to leave.

"Um, Sachiko, that big guy's not gonna leave anytime soon," said Dirk cautiously.

"I'm a girl and it's not my job to tame you!"

"_Yifalchunbee!_" said the Golem.

"No! I can't take charge because that job is for the men! Only men and boys tame Golems, not women and girls!"

"You are one of the direct descendants of Aaron Bass from the Elder Days! Your sole purpose is to have me fight at your side since your grandmother wrote your name on the scroll inside me!"

"Then find someone else to tame you!"

"_Yifalchunbee_, Sachiko!"

"I'm not a Jew!"

"You have Jewish blood in your veins due to your grandmother, but you refuse to observe the Jewish holidays and the Sabbath! You even pray to Shinto shrines and eat swine!"

"My family doesn't eat swine! They eat fish, lamb, beef, and poultry because pork is forbidden and unclean to eat!"

"Hey, if the clay guy wants you to take charge, then you do it," said Dirk. "I know that you think that men alone can tame the Golem, but he _did _save our lives from that guy who tried to kill us earlier. You should be thankful for him."

Sachiko stared at the Golem as he was such an intimidating figure indeed. Just as she was about to approach him, she heard the sound of a whistle blowing as she wanted to hide the Golem out of sight. Even Dirk wanted to hide him from the authorities as they decided to hide him in a secret place that resembled a large shed in the form of a Hobbit hole. It was then when they went inside of it as they closed the door behind them. It was a rot-gut room as it had all the trimmings of spare time back then when human colonization was rampant. The secret place had a ping-pong table, a couch, a bathroom, a kitchen, and two rooms as it was a place where Dirk, Sachiko, and the Golem were hiding away in.

"I can't wait till I tell Sam about this," he said.

"Who's Sam?" asked Sachiko.

"He's the Elder of Winchester Castle. He even has a lot of knowledge about monsters that came from the Elder Days, too."

"That Golem who came from the Elder Days will always be there on my grandmother's side of the family due to what my ancestor had with him."

"It's like he said, yifal-whatsit?"

"_Yifalchunbee_. It's Hebrew for take charge. I know that having a Golem is mainly for men only, but seeing a girl with him goes against the traditions of what I've learned from my grandmother. I'm a wreck. I didn't even have anyone there at my _Bat Mitzvah_, either. I can't go and parade that Golem around. He can be only be tamed by men only."

"You are wrong, Sachiko!" yelled the Golem. "You carry the blood of Aaron Bass within you! You must comply! _Yifalchunbee_!"

"Well, you heard him," said Dirk. "The Golem wanted you to take charge like he said. I know that you're a girl, but girls are a lot on the equal spectrum as us boys."

"But I can't just lug a huge lump of clay around, you know!"

"Trust me; it'll work out fine."

Sachiko was staring at the Golem as she wanted to get away from him. She didn't want to pair with a creature like him as she was scared to death of him. As for Dirk, however, he didn't mind the Golem's presence as he found it to be very cool to have someone like him around. Still, he wanted to tell me about what was found here, for it would only be a matter of time when I finally knew about the creature eventually...

* * *

I was resting in the infirmary wing as I was still under the effects of the fever. It had been two hours since Dirk didn't come home as I opened my eyes and saw Yashamaru shove a thermometer into my mouth. I was forced to stay in bed as I was helpless into searching for Dirk. I was worried sick as I later saw Yashamaru take the thermometer out of my mouth. He was aware that I had a high fever as he barred me from leaving the infirmary wing in order to recover. I was benched in my bed as I had no choice but to stay put for the time being, for I had no say due to what happened to me.

"So, this is it," I said.

"You're not going anywhere; you need rest," said Yashamaru as he put down the thermometer on the nightstand. "You've got a high fever and you came down with a temperature of 102.9."

"I see..."

Without warning, I heard footsteps approaching as I sat up and saw a familiar face enter. It was Haakon as he had some clues to present to me. He was there for advice as I was the only Elder that lived here in Kanto Village, but I had been laid up in bed due to the cold and fever that I suffered from.

"It's been a while," I said as I sat up.

"You might wanna know about _this_," said Haakon as he showed me the infamous armband that was recovered earlier. "It's _them_ of all people."

"What do you mean?"

"Whoever wore that armband came from one society that only delves into either the occult or experiments on Jews and Gypsies from the Elder Days."

"I read about what you found. We're dealing with the Thule Society who emerged since the Golem appeared in the time of the Elder Days."

"There's also the Judah Initiative, which is the equivalent to the Order of Letters. Anyway, the fiend who wore that infamous armband was already dead. The cause of the man's death was by getting stomped by a giant creature that fits the description of our famous Golem. Also, there were two eyewitnesses that saw the Golem crush the Thule man: a Cat Sidhe male and a Terran female."

"Dirk!" I was hell-bent on getting up this time as I wanted to look for my lost charge. "I have to find him before he gets killed."

"Now, hold on! I'll find the kid before any more of _them_ roll into town. I've already salted and burned one of them, but we have to be vigilant into making sure that we protect the Golem and his tamer. The Thules are dangerous and they're also know as Nazi necromancers who deal in such unholy deeds that they are deemed malignant in which they need to be killed before they do any damage. By the way, Sam, have you ever heard of the Bass Family?"

"I read about them in their involvement in the time of the Elder Days."

"Aaron Bass was a young man who tamed the Golem in times of need against any forms of evil in the Jewish traditions. After two thousand years, the traditions of the Bass Family's teachings were passed down from person to person who were men and reached manhood for many years to come. Throughout the centuries, the Bass Family thrived, but they've been persecuted and evicted from their homeworld in the outer planetary system, Megiddo. Many years passed until the Bass Family faded into memory, but several survivors of them thrived here on Alecrast of all places. From what I gathered, the Bass Family intermarried with some of the Terran locals in which the Higuchi Clan now adopted the traditions that were passed down from their ancestors from the Elder Days. Most recently, the Higuchi men were forced to go into service in the Alecrian Army, but one female member had been chosen to tame the Golem of legend."

"Then we must find her."

"You need to get some rest, Sam. I'll find the kid and the Golem's tamer before the Thules do. This crap can't be ignored and the girl that Dirk found is the one that has to take charge in the Judah Initiative before those insane bastards come and kill her along with her clay companion. I know those scum because I'm not gonna let them live because of what they're capable of."

I was helpless against Haakon's stern demeanor as he was willing to take on the infamous Thule agents that were after the Golem. As a member of the Order, he would also stop at nothing to put the Thule Society in their place if need be...

* * *

**Two Thousand Years in the Past...**

It had been a month since Sam and Dean found the bunker in which the future Order of Letters left behind long ago. It was inherited to them by their late paternal grandfather, Henry Winchester, as they were there with all of the treasure trove of knowledge that was stored here for hundreds of years. As for Sam, he was exploring the bunker so readily as he was now part of a secret society that was on the verge of extinction until it was found. He was into all of the books that were stored in the shelves as he did great on cataloguing the Red Ledger that was given to him by Aaron and his Golem. Life in the bunker was good as Sam was busy looking at some of the rooms that hadn't been explored in. It was at that moment that he found a room that had only a cot and bookshelves stacked with all the knowledge that his geek brain could muster.

He was keeping his room for his own as he expected Dean to do the same. It was a real home as he didn't have to sleep in hotel rooms with his brother as they were getting their own rooms this time. Still, he was expecting Dean to get back from Las Vegas or somewhere until he heard the door open from the outside. Sprinting towards the entrance, he went outside as he saw Dean parking the Impala at the front with Totsuka parking his motorcycle next to it. They were busy as they got back with plenty of groceries just to fill the bunker for a couple of months.

"What did you guys do? Rob a store?" he asked.

"Actually, we've been cutting coupons just to save money." said Totsuka as he got out some of the groceries out of the sidecar. "Ever seen _Extreme Couponing_? Well, I know a lot about couponing since I helped Dean get all the good deals with what we took from the paper dumpsters."

"So, you went dumpster diving for coupons just to get things for the bunker, didn't you?"

"We got everything but the beer," said Dean as he got out a large apple pie from the backseat.

"Again with the pie..."

"Hey, at least I'm not in Purgatory, but we also got our work cut out for us since we helped Aaron and that Golem."

"And I got the Red Ledger in our files."

"Looks like you've mastered the art of the Men of Letters," said Totsuka. "By the way, we need all the help we can get to bring all those groceries into the bunker."

Sam helped Dean and Totsuka carry all of the groceries one trip at a time as they were stocking the bunker with food for a while. It was a bonus for them as they finally got a place of their own in the form of the bunker that Abaddon wanted so badly, but it was a godsend that they got there first. With the rest of the food put up in the storeroom in the kitchen, it was stacked as Sam, Dean, and Totsuka were elated that there was some things to eat in the bunker.

"The place has a nice décor for a kitchen," said Totsuka.

"Are you kidding me? Sam and I took an entire weekend just to clean it up," said Dean.

"This place is like the retro kind in all their glory, but thanks to a few minor amenities here, it's gonna be kick-ass."

"Still, we got our home in this bunker," said Sam as he was busy putting away the rest of the food. "It's also a godsend that Henry left it for us and I'm gonna make damn sure that I will repair my past mistakes."

"Hey, don't go putting all that crap down again," said Dean. "It's best that past stays past, you hear me?" Sam nods. "By the way, Nimi and his _Arrancar_ buddies have even tweaked the bunker out so we can get free Internet, especially the wi-fi connection."

"As long as we don't get any porn, we'll be fine."

"Very funny..."

It was a lighthearted approach in the bunker as everything was going fine. After spending over an hour talking about the young rabbi and his golem, there was a first moment of cataloguing to consider as Sam was taking on the legacy that was put in the bunker already. He was desperate to stay on the straight and narrow after making too many mistakes as he even wanted to get a call from Kevin through Garth's houseboat in which progress from the tablet was going smoothly for a while. The bunker life was good at the time, for there would be the upcoming trials in the future...

* * *

Later on in the evening, Sam was in his own room after getting a bath in the bathroom attached to it. He was laying on the cot that he found as he didn't want too much in here. He was finally in a room that he called private as he was relishing the fact that he catalogued the Red Ledger from the infamous Thule Society last week. There was nothing else in his room as he laid on the military-grade cot that was put there during the time of the thirties. He didn't mind it as he covered himself in the army blanket that had been cleaned from the laundry earlier along with the bedsheets. He had his own room as he was ready to go to bed until he heard the door open up. Sitting up, he saw Dean turn on the light in the room as he didn't like the exterior of the room that he picked, for it was very old indeed.

"Seriously, you need to have a much sturdier bed than that," said Dean.

"So? You're the oldest, so you have your own room that's fancier," answered Sam.

"Oh, and you get the crappy room? Totsuka's been talking about getting those cots out of here and replacing them with sturdier beds with memory foam mattresses in them."

"Dean, these cots here in the bunker had been around longer before we were even born. I know that you got the fancier room, but the younger one gets the older crappier room. Besides, we don't get nice things here."

"Hey, I know that you have bookshelves of knowledge that dates back to the old days, but you should at least get yourself a stereo in here."

"Sorry, I found an old radio that works. It's like you said: driver picks the tunes while shotgun shuts his cakehole. Also, according to Totsuka, this place was built back in 1932 and it took three years to complete."

"Well, it took up a whole weekend to stop a couple of Nazi necromancers. Also, we're having a decent dinner instead of diner fare like we usually get because one of us is cooking."

Sam smiled as he watched Dean leave his room. He was home as he relished the fact that he would end up cataloguing all the stuff since that time against those Thule foes. It wouldn't be long until the Golem would be heard of again..., in two thousand years or so...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present...**

I was laying in bed as I was still coughing up a storm. I also had a feeling that Haakon would end up getting killed by the Thule men if he wasn't careful as I wanted to help him out more than anything. I wanted to find Dirk before nightfall as I was worrying about him. He was just a boy. He was just a ward that I took in. He was also something more, for he was family after all. I had to go and find him, but once again, I was pushed back into bed as I even felt a lukewarm washcloth being pressed to my burning forehead. It wasn't long until I saw Reiko sitting next to the bed I slept in as she assured that I had nothing to fear.

"I have to find Dirk," I said as I was shaking from the fever.

"Sammy, Dirk will be alright," said Reiko.

"That boy is our responsibility, Reiko. He could die if we don't find him."

"Dirk is brave, Sammy. All you need is to have faith in him. He'll be fine, believe me."

"Dirk..."

Without warning, I felt a stabbing pain in my head as I sat up screaming. The pain was unbearable as I began to feel a vision in which I saw Dirk standing in front of the infamous Thule men that Haakon spoke about earlier. The battle was taking place in a storeroom somewhere as it was on the trail towards Kripke Shrine. I knew where Dirk was now, for he needed to be found before anything else happened, but still, I was too weak to move out of bed as I laid back down. I was very ill indeed, but I was still helpless into finding Dirk.

"Are you feeling alright?" asked Reiko as she was worried about me.

"I know where Dirk is," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, he's in one of the rot-gut storerooms that are on the trail to Kripke Shrine. That's where the Golem and his tamer also might be."

"Wait, I saw Haakon go over there on the trail right now."

"Reiko..."

"Shh, try not to get up, Sammy." I felt her slender hand touch my burning forehead. "You need to rest, okay? Sir Haakon will find Dirk and bring him home soon."

I remained in bed as I closed my eyes. I was finally asleep as I was exhausted from both the fever and worry that overwhelmed me. I didn't do this alone as I now knew that Dirk would be fine on his own, for he was much braver than anyone else here...

* * *

Dirk was busy eyeing the ping-pong table as he wanted someone to play with. Still, he was staring at Sachiko as she found something that was on the table. It was a Jewish toy as she was spinning it around. It was a large top as it had Hebrew lettering on it while Sachiko spun it around out of boredom. Dirk was curious about the toy as he wanted to see what was about to happen next, for his keen eye on seeing a lot more things were more than just being plucked from a messy garden indeed.

"That's one hell of a top there," he said.

"It's called a dreidel," said Sachiko. "You spin it around and if it lands on a lettered piece in Hebrew, then it either skips a turn on a player or allows him or her to keep going by putting things in the pot."

"Yeah, but there's no pot." Dirk stares at the Golem as he was sitting at the door. "Hey, big guy; wanna play with the dreidel?"

"I stand guard to protect the one who is chosen," he said.

"I'm standing guard to protect Sachiko, too, but that guy and others like him would end up coming after you guys."

"The fiends that are after us are called the Thule Society. They are a plague that evicted us out of Megiddo in the outer planetary system and forced us to come here to this planet."

"Alecrast is home to many Terrans, Elves, Orcs, and many others here. There might be a place for you here as well." Dirk stared at Sachiko as she was still playing with the dreidel. "Also, if you're gonna take charge, then you have to apply by what you know. I already know plenty since Sam took me in after my mom passed away. After all the danger's gone, we'll all stop at Kripke Shrine to pay our respect to our fallen loved ones."

_BOOM!_

The sound of an explosion was heard from outside as Dirk ran towards the window to see what was going on. He saw several more men dressed up in black as they were surrounding the hiding place. He had a feeling that those vile folk would end up breaking in and killing Sachiko and the Golem as he had to remain vigilant into protecting them from those infamous fiends. There were eight more men of the Thule Society waiting for their chance to stop the Golem as they had their guns in their hands. Dirk, however, went outside as he was facing those men like a man should do.

"It's an honor to see you since our comrade's death," said the man in the front. "You can't hide the Golem and his tamer forever, _katze_. We know where you were and we tracked you down to this place."

"Go to Hell! I may not know who you are, but I'm not gonna let you lay a hand on Sachiko and her Golem."

"You think you can stop the Thules all on your own, _katze_? You're making a big mistake."

"I beg to differ!" snarled Haakon as he threw his axe at one of the Thule men.

The Orc was no stranger into facing off against those dastardly Thule men as he saw his axe cut off one of their heads. He bore a grudge against those infernal Nazi scum as he viewed them to be heartless murderers and fiends who showed no mercy to their victims. Haakon retrieved his axe as he went up another one of the Thule men, who had a blowgun and darts in his hands. It wasn't long until he chopped off the Thule man's hands as he later chopped off his head when it fell to the ground. Dirk went back into the rot-gut storeroom as he let Haakon do the attacking while he watched, for the Orc showed no mercy against the infamous Thule men that were after the Golem and his tamer.

"You listen to me, asshat!" he yelled. "You're not welcome here in Kanto Village, so I suggest that you leave immediately or else I'll kill you on the spot!"

"You can't scare us off so readily," said the leader. "As long as we can put a stop to the Bass Family and their hulking lump of clay, then we're invincible!"

"Buddy, that tamer and Golem aren't the only ones that have Jewish blood in their veins! Remember my grandfather, Beleg Thrunvar? He kicked ass and took names when he rescued a Terran woman of Jewish ancestry during a mission to Megiddo. He told me all about it along with my own father. You see here, asshat? I'm not only a member of the Order of Letters, but I'm also one of the preservers of the Judah Initiative to honor the grandmother whose family members were experimented on and exterminated by you scum and now you've came here to Alecrast to finish the job into doing away with the survivors that lived, including the descendants of Aaron Bass that nearly faded into memory. It was also a godsend that the remaining Jewish population were rescued from such a malignant fate, but the scars of such a tragedy still remain."

The Thule leader cackled with delight as he was itching to kill Haakon and the ones with the Golem in plain sight. With his axe in his hand, Haakon was ready to fight until he saw the Golem emerge from the rot-gut storeroom. The Thules were scared to death as they were fearing the clay being's powerful might. The Golem himself was crushing the Thules that invaded Kanto Village as he crushed the rest of them all with powerful blows. It was a righteous bloodbath as the invading Thule men were reduced to crushed bits of blood and bone. When Sachiko came out of the storeroom, she saw the Golem standing still as he turned around to face her. She wasn't afraid of him this time as she was ready to take charge in the ways of the Judah Initiative, for she was the descendant of Aaron Bass after all.

"You did good, Golem," she said as she smiled.

"_Yifalchunbee_," he answered.

"Yes, and I'll take charge till the end and I'll even teach my future children the ways of the Judah Initiative as well as the Order of Letters."

"I guess that you'll make a formidable tamer for your clay friend," said Dirk as he came out of the storeroom. "Looks like you took charge like the Golem said."

"I couldn't let those people hurt us. I had to do something before something bad happened."

"Oh, no... I forgot to check in! Sam's gonna be worried if I've been gone for too long!"

Dirk sprinted all the way home as Haakon saw him leave. With Sachiko and the Golem still there, they were there to oversee the salting and burning the remains of the invading Thule men who tried to kill them. By the time they were piled up and salted in a clearing away from the path to Kripke Shrine, they were burned as Sachiko, Haakon, and the Golem watched them burn in a fierce plume of flames and smoke. As for Haakon, however, he fished out the evil armband that he found earlier and put it directly into the funeral pyre where it burned with the rest of the invading Thules.

"Good riddance..., for now...," he said.

* * *

Dirk was finally home as he was wondering where I was. He had spent the entire afternoon in the rot-gut storeroom with Sachiko and the Golem as he was finally home at last. When he went into the area where the infirmary wing was upstairs on the fourth floor, he saw me in one of the rooms as I was resting comfortably. When I opened my eyes, I sat up as I saw Dirk sitting in a chair next to my bed. He was worried about me the same way I was worried about him as he saw me still under the effects of the fever that I had.

"You look like crap," he said.

"I was very worried about you," I said.

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

"No..., but you saw a possible danger that isn't for you until you reach manhood."

"I'm just a kid. I can't do anything until then."

"You were willing to protect that girl in the rot-gut room when the Thules tried to kill her and the Golem."

"Hey, you weren't there when that happened... or did you have a crystal ball to see what we were doing?"

"I had a vision about the Thules threatening your friend and the Golem... Even though I was resting up from this fever, I saw the Golem killing the Thules before they got their hands on him. It's strange, but I can't shake this feeling that I observed something like that."

I was still reeling from the fever as I continued to cough from the unbearable cold that I suffered from. Even though Dirk came home, I had also noticed that he didn't have his homework with him as he had been out and about since school ended for another day. Anyway, we both didn't mind it as I was glad to have my charge home from harm. Even though I was still weakened, I felt my mind getting stronger as I felt the raw power within me surging with every moment. It wasn't long until I saw Yashamaru and Castiel come into my hospital room as they were there to make sure that I didn't get out of bed due to the fever and exhaustion that I had.

"The Golem and his tamer had decided to stay here in Kanto Village until they come back home," said Castiel. "Their home village of Kabizashi had been blocked off because of the snow."

"I know where that village is," I said. "It's in the pass near the mountains up north."

"Well, I guess that Sachiko and her Golem are gonna stay here until the snow clears up," said Dirk.

"Speaking of which, tomorrow's the start of Hanukkah in which some of Kanto Village's Jewish residents are bringing out their wares in the form of dreidels and menorahs."

"Don't forget the food, Sammy," said Reiko as she came into my room. "The store in the town square has been cooking potato latkes and jam-filled donuts for the tradition of eight days."

"And eight days is also more than enough for more rest," said Yashamaru sternly. "By the way, Lady Reiko, you should also get some rest if you want to continue your pregnancy."

"I have been getting backaches and leg cramps, but I wouldn't let it bother me."

"It's a sign that your offspring inside of you are growing, but there will be a time when they'll end up accelerating due to the raw power that Sam had in him."

"I see..."

"Perhaps you should stay in the same room as me," I said. "This room _does_ have a spare bed in here."

I saw Reiko sit down on the other bed next to mine as she was feeling at her swollen stomach. The baby bump on her was growing slowly but steady as I was worried about her. I had to recover from my own predicament as I wanted to make sure that Reiko had enough maintenance to keep her from doing too much. Even though Hanukkah and Christmas were coming up, I remained vigilant in order to make sure that I would make good on my vow to protect Reiko and our unborn twins, for there would be a shift in the balance of power throughout the inner and outer planetary systems soon enough...

* * *

Sachiko was busy setting up Hanukkah decorations in the rot-gut storeroom as she was making it her temporary home since she couldn't get home to Kabizashi due to the avalanche gumming up the pass in the mountains. With the Golem repairing the wall where he bust through, it was fixed as the rot-gut storeroom was good to go. They made their home here as they were lighting a menorah with candles on the table. With prayers in Hebrew, they were celebrating Hanukkah, which started tomorrow, in which they were thankful that they were living here in this place on the path near Kripke Shrine. It was the least they can do as they were also there to be part of the Judah Initiative just like Haakon was as well as the Order of Letters.

"Well, tomorrow's the start of Hanukkah," said Sachiko.

"The pass to Kabizashi has been blocked," said the Golem.

"That's what the weather report said. Even though you were passed down from the Bass Family for generations, it's also the first time that a girl's a tamer among men."

"Your ancestor, Aaron Bass, was reluntant to be in the fight against the Thules, with the help from the Order of Letters from the Elder Days."

"Then we'll honor our pledge in our rights in the Judah Initiative so that no one would ever fall prey to persecution from the Thule Society ever again. By the way, Dirk told us about Winchester Castle earlier. It would be great that we went there to see the master of the house. Also, it's about time that we both took charge in our matters at hand."

"_Yifalchunbee_..."

Both Sachiko and the Golem walked towards the front door as they saw the snow falling from outside of the window. A fresh snowfall was coming down as the start of Hanukkah was upon them in the time of winter on Alecrast. Still, there was a fight in all directions as we all had to pull our weight in our matters that had tons of concern, for we weren't alone in our battles within...

**To be continued...**


	6. The Jewish Food Run

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 6: The Jewish Food Run**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

I was up and about as I had my fever broken overnight. As usual, I was on my way to my office as I was checking up on some of the work that came to my desk. With my convalescence being extended again due to the fever I had, I was barred from doing work, but it didn't stop me from celebrating the holidays here in Kanto Village. Even though I dreaded Dean trying to kick me in real time, I left my office as I decided to go downstairs where the kitchen was. It was at that moment when I was going towards a door that led to the basement and lower levels as I was making my way towards a vast room that was feasible over the years. Little did I know was that Dirk followed me down to where I was as I entered into a room in which there were vegetables and fruits growing inside. It was a place where our we had our produce grown as I was picking some of the carrots and potatoes for tonight's dinner.

"There's a garden here and we're still in winter?" said Dirk as he was seeing all the vegetables and fruits in the warm room where the garden was. "Aren't they suppose to be growing in the spring and summer?"

"This place is a hydroponics lab," I said. "These crops here are in water so they could grow quicker so we won't have to worry about food for the rest of the winter."

"Looks like we're living off the basement instead of the land outside."

"I know all about hydroponics because of all those years living in the fort on Gehenna. I also had my fill of growing things without Sylvanus knowing it."

"Hey, today's the first day of Hanukkah. Perhaps we can go towards the rot-gut storeroom and visit Sachiko and the Golem. I bet that they're gearing up for Hanukkah."

I was thinking about yesterday's report as I wanted to see Sachiko and her Golem up close and personal. Still, all of that had to wait as I had work to do. After getting my selected vegetables, I left the hydroponics room as I went back upstairs to where the kitchen was with Dirk following me. When we got to where we needed to go, we saw Yashamaru standing in front of us as he was aware that I was up and out of bed. Even though I recovered from my fever, he still didn't want me to do any more work as he was determined to take me back to the infirmary wing.

"I told you again, Yashamaru, I'm fine," I said as I put the vegetables on the counter.

"No, you're not," he answered. "You may have had your fever broken, but that doesn't mean that you're out of the woods yet."

"Reiko should be the top priority right now because of her pregnancy."

"Reiko is resting right now just as you should be. While you were asleep, I drew blood from you and I still noticed that the stressors are still out of control. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like you to go back to the infirmary wing and get more rest."

"I told you before, I'm fine." I felt my knees buckle as I was kneeling on the floor. "I can't just lay around and do nothing."

"You're still in convalescence, Sam. You can't do all the work alone. Besides, you have a family here and they'll help you along the way."

"What about Reiko? She matters a lot more than me because of what she bears in her body. I worry about her because she's someone who's a lot more important than anything."

"You still need to rest, Sam. Come on now..."

I was being carted out of the kitchen by Yashamaru as I was still feeling the effects of the stress that overwhelmed my body. Still, I had to deal with the raw power inside me as I was feeling the effects of it since I had that vision of Dirk, Sachiko, and the Golem being in danger. By the time I was being carted towards the infirmary wing, I was met with a familiar face as he was back from his missions. It was Shigeru as he was ready to celebrate Hanukkah just like the rest of the Jewish population here as he couldn't wait to try the food that was prepared in the town square for eight days.

"Oh, it's kick-ass outside," he said. "You've gotta try the potato latkes. These Jewish guys are cooking them non-stop."

"I heard about them," I said. "They're made throughout the years, but they're also a holiday food that's served during Hanukkah."

"You're missing out, Sammy. You gotta get out every once in a while before you turn into a hermit."

"I've been sick since yesterday, but I've been getting better one step at a time."

"You've been pinned down with the stressors again, weren't you?"

I sighed heavily as I nodded. I was also feeling the pinch of what was ailing me as Yashamaru escorted me into my hospital room where Reiko was laying in the other bed next to mine. Shigeru also came into the room as he was noticing a huge change in Reiko as she was getting all the bedrest that was needed during her pregnancy. When I laid down in my own bed, I was staring directly at my wife as she was in need of rest just as much as I did, for the twins would soon be born the moment they arrive.

"I guess that the inspiration for twin beds must've paid off," said Shigeru.

"Both of them need rest," said Yashamaru.

"What? And miss the festival of lights? They can't just-"

"Shigeru," I said as I remained in my bed sitting up. "We'll be fine. As for the festivities for Hanukkah, they have seven more days to go. It's not over yet."

"So? You just gonna sit in bed rotting or are you gonna get dressed to make potato latkes for Sis?"

"I'll do it, but I'm not doing it alone."

"By the way, how are you holding up, Sis?"

"I've been resting, but I feel that the babies inside me are weighing me down," said Reiko.

"It's normal for a pregnancy like that, but you should listen to Yashamaru about resting up."

"By the way, will there be any more potato latkes?"

"There will be...," I said.

I was ready to take on the task of making potato latkes as I got up out of bed. Even though I was going against Yashamaru's wishes to stay in bed, I didn't want to be cooped up too much as I was most likely to be cooking in the kitchen. I was reminded of the potato latkes as I was ready to go towards the kitchen and do my work...

* * *

Sachiko was in the town square as she was seeing all of the menorahs being lit in many Jewish homes. She was there in Kanto Village, but she wasn't alone as she had the Golem with her at all times. When she finally found the way to Winchester Castle, both she and the Golem followed the trail as they made it there in which the snow was fresh and piling on the ground. By the time they got towards the inner gate, they saw the interior house and the rest of it as it had snow on the roofs. It was something that they never seen before as they were ready to enter inside of the main house.

"So, this is Winchester Castle...," said Sachiko.

"The master of this place... is like the one who helped me and your ancestor from the time of the Elder Days," said the Golem.

"I bet that Dirk's gonna be there." Sachiko sniffs the smell of potato latkes cooking from the kitchen. "Wait..., I know that smell of that food."

"What is it, Sachiko?"

"It's the smell of potato latkes. I bet that one of the cooks here are doing his or her best to make this Jewish staple."

"Today is also the start of Hanukkah."

"I know, but I bet that the master of this castle's probably there just waiting for them to get done. I hope that we get a big welcome here."

It wasn't long until Sachiko and the Golem went towards the back door where the kitchen was. When the went inside, they saw me cooking the potato latkes as I had all my work cut out for me. They had never seen me hard at work before as I was busy cooking at the stove. It was also at that moment that Dirk was helping me in the kitchen as he was getting his first glimpse into Jewish food that had been in one of the cookbooks in the shelf. We were cooking enough latkes to feed an army as we were nearly finished with the Jewish staple.

"Looks like you've got the hang of cooking the potato latkes," said Dirk.

"It's also a godsend that Dean and the Hunter Corps brought some of that matzo meal here so it can be used for this Jewish staple," I said.

"Excuse me," said Sachiko as she saw me at the stove cooking the potato latkes. "You're the man of the house, right?"

"Yes."

"I take it that you're the master here, aren't you?"

"Dirk told me all about you and your Golem friend. You're also staying at that rot-gut storeroom near the trail to Kripke Shrine until the pass to Kabizashi has been cleared after that avalanche that blocked it."

"You sure know how to cook, don't you?"

"I've been cooking since I was young. I even learned from my father and sometimes my stepmother on how to prepare meals and use the cookbooks here just to follow instructions and learn from what you cook."

"I see..."

"Hey, these potato latkes are good!" cried Dirk as he ate one of them that was on a plate. "You ought to try those, Sachiko. Sam made them just right."

"Hey, you need to save some for Reiko," I said. "Besides, she can't do anything right now because of the pregnancy she has. Also, I've looked over the Jewish guidelines on making such food like this in which all ingredients have to be kosher and not have any pork products because of the religious aspect of it not being a clean meat. I've known the kosher part so far."

I continued to make the potato latkes as I was nearly done with all of them. When I was all finished, I was carrying them out of the kitchen as I was on my way towards the dining room. When I set them down, I got out a plate as I set some of the latkes on it just for Reiko, who was still in the infirmary wing resting up. It was the least I could do as I was ready to bring up the plate of latkes towards the hospital room where Reiko was resting. When I went upstairs to where I needed to go to, I went into the room as I saw my wife at work knitting a blanket for our twins. When she saw the potato latkes on the plate in my hands, she put away the knitting work as she was starting to get hungry.

"I brought you something," I said.

"Is it potato latkes?" asked Reiko.

"I've been working on them, but I had help in the kitchen."

I gave Reiko the plate of potato latkes as she tried one of them. She tasted all the hard work that went into the latkes as she couldn't get enough of them. She loved the taste of them as she was wanting more of them, but all of that took time to process. I was grateful that Reiko was resting as I was even staring at the baby bump that she had. When I walked over to her bedside, I felt her stomach under the covers as I felt the twins moving around. I smiled as I couldn't get enough of what our future offspring could do the moment they were born.

"I guess that the potato latkes weighed on our boys so far," I said.

"They were delicious," said Reiko.

"It's also the start of Hanukkah in which our new visitors are Jewish and are ready to celebrate the festival of lights while lighting the menorahs."

"Grandfather told me about Hanukkah before. He said that it was an important holiday of the Jews."

"And we'll celebrate it along with our new guests."

We both remained in the hospital room as we spent more time together in here more than any other room in the castle. Even though it was the start of Hanukkah, we would also be enjoying the celebrations from our Jewish citizens that lived in Kanto Village as we had all that time in the world for eight days...

* * *

Haakon was on the front steps of the main house as he was seeing the Hanukkah decorations strewn on the vines that mixed in with the Christmas decorations there. Even though he was an Orc, he also had Jewish blood in his veins as he was most likely to be seeing a menorah being lit on a stump to commemorate the Hanukkah tradition. When he sat down on the porch, he noticed Yashamaru sitting there as he was taking a break from all the work. It was an awkward moment that Haakon had met the _Shinigami_ here in the castle as they saw the menorah flames flickering in the wintry wind.

"_Mazel tov_, here's to Hanukkah," he said.

"You're part of both societies that delve into the unknown, aren't you?" said Yashamaru.

"My grandfather took a Terran woman to wife years ago while he went on a mission to Megiddo at the time. According to what I heard of, it was hell when my grandfather saw many members of that repugnant Thule Society staking their claim into experimenting on Jews and Gypsies on that planet. At that time, Gramps went in and helped bring the Jewish population out of Megiddo and onto here on Alecrast, but due to what he witnessed, he converted to Judaism after marrying that Jewish woman he saved. There were many of my relatives in my clan that celebrate Hanukkah, along with the other holidays, such as Purim, Passover, Yom Kippur, and others. Hell, I even celebrated Rosh Hashanah in which I praised my work in both the Order of Letters and the Judah Initiative."

"You even praise the Golem who protected Sachiko Higuchi, didn't you?"

"That girl's one of the descendants of Aaron Bass of all people. All I'm hoping for is that she takes charge into taming the Golem in order to stop the Thules."

"There's also the factor of Sam and Reiko's children in question."

"Hey, they're not Jewish, but I'm hoping that they're protected from harm as well."

"The Army of Cain, the radical forces, and the Leviathans aren't the only ones that fear the existence of Sam and Reiko's children. The Thule Society also fears them as well."

"Well, if they even come here, they'll be met with my axe. This isn't the first time since I faced off against the Thules and it won't be the last, either."

Haakon smiled at that notion as he vowed to maintain his status as a member of both the Order of Letters and the Judah Initiative. Still, he stared at the menorah as it was blazing brightly with all the candles lit. It was also a sign that the future would be a prosperous one indeed, for everyone would most likely to be seeing the heroic efforts that the Order of Letters and the Judah Initiative have done for many years to come. It wasn't long until Sachiko and the Golem were outside staring at the menorah that was lit as they were observing Hanukkah quite smoothly. It was their motives into stopping the infamous Thule Society and preserving the ways of the Judah Initiative as they were smelling the scent of potato latkes cooking in the kitchen.

"I take it that you two like the menorah," said Haakon.

"My family's been known to preserve the Jewish traditions just like you," said Sachiko.

"My clan converted to Judaism the moment my grandfather came back here. After going to Megiddo, it wasn't the same for him again until he vowed to put a dent into the Thule Society if it tried anything on the Jewish population again."

"My grandmother told me how the Golem went up against a battalion of Nazis in the Elder Days long ago. She even told me about how he fought against the Thules years later. All along, I never believed in the Jewish traditions until now when the Thules tried to kill me and the Golem. It's also like Dirk told me, I have to take charge of what was given to me and I'll fulfill my grandmother's wishes into upholding the Judah Initiative."

"You sure know how to bring forth your true calling, don't you?"

"It's the least I could do with the Golem at my side."

Both Sachiko and the Golem were at the ready to take charge as they were following the destiny of what was given to him just like Haakon does. They were all members of the Jewish faith in which they were also most likely to go up against the Thule Society once again, but not now...

I resumed my work in the kitchen as I was making more potato latkes. I was hard at work as I was busy frying away with such prowess in the form of someone who observed the Jewish holidays. By the time I was finished, I noticed a group of Orcs outside as they were bringing lots of Jewish food here in observance of Hanukkah. They were from Haakon's clan as they also wore the Star of David on their armor and clothing. They were Jewish as they were simply guests at the castle as they were sent at the behest of their leader, Haakon. It was something out of the ordinary as I was ready to welcome the rest of the Thrunvar Clan into the celebration of Hanukkah altogether.

"Well, Sam, what do you think?" asked Haakon as he was coming into the kitchen.

"Your family converted to Judaism quite nicely," I said.

"My clan converted to Judaism the moment my grandfather saw the atrocities that the Thule Society committed while he was on Megiddo. It was the least he could do when he married that Terran woman whose family had been exterminated by those insane bastards."

"And you honor your grandfather with all the Jewish holidays he brought with him."

"Sam, the Terran woman that my grandfather rescued was my grandmother and she was accepted into our clan the moment they came back here on Alecrast."

"It also seems that you continue to honor the adopted traditions your grandmother passed down to you and your clan."

"Sam, my clan converted to Judaism not only to honor my grandmother who lost her family, but to put a damper against the Thules who would stop at nothing to eradicate us."

I was right about that one as Haakon and his clan were setting up for the Hanukkah festivities. They were devoted to the religion that was given to them as I saw them setting up their own menorahs in the backyard. There were even fireworks being shot off as I watched them go off in the sky. I was starting to get the hang of Hanukkah as I even saw Sachiko and the Golem light a menorah near the grilling pit. It was fun indeed as the celebration of eight days was something to be savored...

* * *

**Two thousand years in the past...**

Dean returned from a convenience store as he was raking in the money he cashed in after winning doubles from several scratchies earlier. It was exact change as he was driving the Impala back towards the bunker. When he returned, he was on his way to the kitchen as he saw Sam sorting out the Jewish food staples that were bought earlier. He had never expected his younger brother to sort out all the matzo meal, kosher salt, and other Jewish things that were being sorted into the cupboard as they were being put away for other meals and such.

"Dude, you've been on a kosher kick since we've been here in the bunker," he said.

"It's the least we could do since we helped Aaron and his Golem out," said Sam.

"C'mon, isn't there anything good to eat in this kosher lineup?"

"Dean, when I was cleaning up the bunker, I found a Jewish cookbook in the kitchen that has the essentials into making stuff like this. I can try to make potato latkes to go with the hamburgers that you bring in."

"When did you know how to cook."

"I cooked while I was back in Stanford."

"So? Are you willing to make these potato latkes?"

"If I know how to make hashbrowns, then I'll make the potato latkes for us."

"You sure know how to take this Men of Letters stuff seriously, don't you?"

"Anyway, it's our first meal with a Jewish twist."

And so, Sam was ready to cook as he got the fixings that were needed to make the potato latkes. He was getting things done as he was cooking with the new pans and cutting board that were purchased weeks ago. He was getting ready to get things done as he had all the ingredients set up. He was hard at work as he was mixing up the potato latkes and put them into the pan that was on the stove. It was something that he did at his spare time as he wanted to impress his older brother. After spending all that time cooking over a hot stove, Sam was finished as he set the latkes on a plate that was ready to be served.

When Dean smelled the potato latkes, he noticed them to smell just like the standard French fries that were found in any diner, but better. When he saw those potato latkes just sitting there, he decided to take one as he bit into it. The taste of the latke was something that became savory as Dean wanted another one after that. He was in a demanding mode as he wanted Sam to make more after this, for the potato latke was something of a first here in the Men of Letters bunker.

"Dude, you gotta make more of these," he said.

"They're for the hamburgers," said Sam as he was busy preparing the rest of the dinner.

"You're no fun. Besides, if we're gonna stay in the bunker, there's gotta be some diner food here."

"That's what I'm preparing. Also, I'm gonna cut up some onions for your burger."

"That's my boy."

"Very funny."

And so, Sam and Dean were making their efforts more fruitful as they were making themselves at home in the Men of Letters bunker. It was home for them as they made the very best of it, even when it came to the potato latkes that blended in with the hamburgers that were cooked...

* * *

Later on in the evening, Sam and Dean were cleaning up after enjoying their dinner of hamburgers and potato latkes earlier as they were getting the kitchen done. They were getting things cleaned up so readily that even the countertops shined after being polished. By the time they left the kitchen after cleaning it up, they returned to the main hall of the bunker as they were most likely to be getting a hunting case soon enough. With Sam sitting at the table with some of the books that were stacked up, he was ready to read into some of the knowledge that had been stuffed in the bunker for years as he saw Dean come into the main hall with a beer in his hand.

"Dude, you gotta lay off the books for a while," he said as he sat down a the table.

"I can't let this knowledge go to waste, Dean," said Sam. "Besides, there's more than enough to look in on what could be lurking about in hindsight."

"By the way, we ahould call Kevin and tell him about the bunker. He ought to get a kick out of it."

"He's currently holed up in Garth's houseboat right now. Besides, he's too busy deciphering the language on that Demon Tablet."

"Well, it never hurts to call him up."

"We'll do it in the morning, but first, we'll be searching this whole bunker for more stuff."

"You really are such a nerd..."

Dean saw Sam hard a work stuffing his brain with the knowledge that was all over in the bunker. Both brothers called the place home as it was also known as the Batcave. Sooner or later, there would be more trials and tribulations along the way, but there would also be more danger as well...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present...**

I was back in the kitchen as I was making something else from the Jewish cookbook that I found. I was ready to make knishes, which were potato ones. I was hard at work until several other members of the Thrunvar Clan entered in here to help out with the Jewish food. I had never had any Orc help me out in the kitchen as they were on hand into making the rest of the Jewish food that was on hand for Hanukkah. It wasn't long until I noticed Herschel sprinting in here with a bag full of supplies that he purchased with his stipend as he set them down on the counter.

"Well, who's up for matzo balls and kreplach?" he said.

"You sure know your stuff," I said.

"My family's half-Jewish on my great-grandmother's side, but we don't have much of a kosher lifestyle on Rietza"

"Let me guess, your father's not a big fan of the Jewish traditions that were given to you, wasn't he?"

"No, but my Uncle Lawrence follows the Jewish traditions except for a sacrilegious delicacy."

"And what is that?"

"Ever hear of bacon-wrapped matzo balls? They're kick-ass, but we have to try them only once or else we'll all face the wrath of our Jewish half."

"Well, you better tread carefully about the bacon-wrapped matzo balls because there's a Golem here and he's worse than your father."

Herschel was stunned to hear about the Golem as he refrained from mentioning bacon-wrapped matzo balls for the rest of the eight Hanukkah days. As for me, however, I was getting a break as I was relieved from my duties in the kitchen. Even though I wanted to help out, I had to refrain from doing so as I saw Herschel and the rest of Haakon's clan finishing up the Jewish food that was being prepared. I had no worries after all as I was seeing the Hanukkah celebrations going strong in those who followed the Jewish traditions so readily...

* * *

**Many years ago on Gehenna...**

I was busy getting things done as I was finishing up the work that I had on my hands. I was busy cataloguing things that were recorded in the fort as I was getting them all neat and tidy before the Hanukkah celebrations. It was also at that moment that I was relieved that Sylvanus wasn't there as he was out in space on a mission in which he was needed to take out alien lore that was lurking on Zassel. I was grateful that I didn't have anything else to do as I returned to my room and warmed myself by my fireplace as I saw the flames blazing in it. The fresh firewood that was given to me earlier was more than enough to last all the winter as I was seeing it all over the place on Gehenna. Even though most of the soldiers were sent here to defend the fort, I was still in the bottom as I didn't have any problem at all after that visit from Ginryu many years ago.

It was at that moment that I saw the Buddhist manual that was given to me as it saved me from the brink of despair lots of times already. Still, I wanted to know more about what was going on as I went out of my room and went towards the main hall. To my surprise, I saw a familiar face enter as he was overseeing the conditions here at the fort. It was Lawrence Tang, who was one of the heads of his family as he was also an Elder of the Order as well. Still, he was ready to celebrate Hanukkah here as he took the Jewish traditions he picked up from his great-grandmother. I had never seen a menorah in years as I noticed one on the table where Sylvanus sat in. It was being lit as it was also the start of the Hanukkah holiday that lasted up to eight days, for I was about to see something more approach here in the fort.

"I take it that you like the menorah," said Lawrence.

"But your clan is mainly made up of those who follow Taoist and Buddhist traditions," I said.

"Actually, I celebrate those Jewish traditions out of respect of my great-grandmother, who was one of the lucky ones that made it out of Megiddo."

"Megiddo?"

"It's a planet that's in the outer planetary system. It's also the same place where the Thule Society began their onslaught on the Jewish population there. My great-grandmother and grandmother were the lucky ones that came with us to Alecrast and other places, but the mental and physical scars that the Thule Society inflicted were eternal."

"I'm so sorry..."

"It's not your fault. Yes, my family are half-Jewish, but they still thumb their noses at the traditions that were passed down from my great-grandmother and grandmother. Hell, the rest of my family even gorge themselves on bacon-wrapped matzo balls, which are both sacrilegious and delicious at the same time."

"You take great passion in preserving the Jewish traditions, don't you?"

"I've always been preserving the Jewish traditions. It's my way of honoring my great-grandmother and grandmother who left Megiddo and joined the Tang family."

I was astonished to hear something from Lawrence as he was stern on his reasons for maintaining the Jewish traditions that he grew up with over the years. It was also at that moment that I noticed the simple Aquarian Star pin on his coat along with the Star of David as he was a member of both the Order of Letters and the Judah Initiative. I would soon have a feeling that I would run into him again, but it would only be a matter of time before I did so...

* * *

Later on in the evening, I was getting myself a bath as I was about to get ready for bed. I was cleaning myself up as I was most likely to be returning to a cold room sooner or later. After I rinsed myself off, I drained the bathtub as I wrapped myself in a towel and went towards the sink. I was simply brushing my teeth as I was about to later get dressed and return to my room. After rinsing my mouth and putting my toothbrush and toothpaste away, I placed my dirty things in the hamper as I got dressed in my nightclothes for the night. By the time I returned to my room, I climbed into bed as I was seeing the flames in the fireplace dying down. I was used to such things until I noticed a familiar figure come into my room and put another log of wood into the fireplace. When I saw the figure leave, I noticed the fire burning brightly and slowly as I was relieved to have warmth in my room.

It was my only wish for Hanukkah that I always had a warm room as I was most likely to be returning to work in the morning. Still, I wanted to thank the one who put extra firewood into the fireplace as I got up and warmed myself up. As I was doing that, I noticed Dean coming into my room as he had a platter of Jewish food in his hands. He was happy that he got those as he wanted to share with me. It was the least he could do as he sat down beside me so we could eat the food together.

"I take it that you put that log in the fire, didn't you?" I said.

"I didn't want you to freeze to death," said Dean. "Besides, you should see all the spread in the kitchen and mess hall, It's still going."

"Lawrence is still here?"

"He is, but he's about to go back to the main base after this."

"I see..."

"Anyway, we ought to eat this before Sylvanus gets back and we all know how he feels when you get the good treatment."

"I know, but we better do it quickly."

And so, we were digging into the food that was on the platter as we loved the tastes of what was cooked here during the Hanukkah holiday. It was the best thing that we did as we were both family here in the fort on this frozen wasteland. We were there together whether we survived the good times or the bad, for we would be going back to Alecrast again when the time was right...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present, again...!**

I was back in the infirmary wing as I was in the room where Reiko was laying in. Even though she was resting comfortably, she was feeling the pinch of the pregnancy as she felt the twins moving inside of her. I had noticed her smiling as she didn't have to worry about anything for a while, for she needed all the rest she can get. When I sat down on the other bed, I was noticing that Reiko was given some more of the Jewish food that was prepared here as she was even content into chowing down in order to satisfy her cravings. It was the most that was done as I made sure that my wife would have plenty to keep her cravings at bay.

"You should try the knishes, Sammy," she said.

"I've been relieved from kitchen duty," I said.

"Is Herschel taking over?"

"No, but Haakon's clan have been at work making Jewish food for Hanukkah."

"I see... By the way, Sammy, Yashamaru wanted to talk to us about something."

"That can wait, Reiko. All we'll be doing is celebrating Hanukkah with the ones that came here to the castle, including Haakon and his clan."

At that moment, my conversation with Reiko was interrupted as I saw Dirk enter into the room with a platter full of Jewish tidbits that he gathered up. It was a smorgasbord full of delectable Jewish delights as I saw an array of potato latkes, knishes, deep-fried kreplach with soy sauce on the side, lox with cream cheese and bagels, brisket that was slow-cooked, and cabbage rolls. I had never expected Dirk to go all out on getting all the tidbits from the Jewish food, but I didn't mind it one bit.

"These Orcs know how to cook," he said as he set the platter of food on the table.

"I take it that you went all out," I said.

"You guys gotta try these. They're really good."

"Anyway, Happy Hanukkah."

We saw Reiko get up as she went towards the table where the food was. We noticed her get into the potato latkes and brisket as she couldn't contain herself. The food was really good for Jewish tidbits as I even tried a knish. It was heaven in a stuffed roll as I tasted the meat pastry in which it was cooked perfectly. Even Dirk tried some food on the platter as he got into the cabbage rolls. In a time like this, we ate like a family as we were enjoying the Jewish food that was on the platter. We were happy together with family and friends coming and going as the holidays were going strong, for the start of the New Year would soon be upon us.

Just as I was about to take the platter towards the kitchen, I began to feel a stabbing pain in my head. What was going on here? Was it a vision that was getting to me? No, I saw the ship from the Hunter Corps in danger as I sprinted out of the infirmary wing and out towards the clearing outside the castle. My head was aching from the raw power inside me as I let out a piercing scream. The pain I felt became so powerful that my body emitted a glow in which it shot up in the sky. Whatever I was suffering from, it wasn't too pretty as Shigeru and Kevin ran outside to see what was going on. They had never seen anything like it before as they were sure that something was wrong...

* * *

Dean was looking out the window in his quarters as he saw the vast stars in space. He was wanting to spend the holidays with me and Reiko as he wanted to go back to Alecrast in time for Christmas. It was the least he could do as he wanted to get there so he could be teasing me about the holidays. By the time he went back to bed, he saw Magda enter as she was dressed up and ready to go in order to start the day. He also had to get dressed as he was still in his shirt and pajama bottoms, for he would be going towards the bridge in order to report to Colchuvar on their course to Alecrast.

"Colchuvar wants us there on the bridge," said Magda.

"I had a feeling that he would tell us that," said Dean.

"Also, Christmas is coming up after Hanukkah and I bet that Uncle Lawrence would be there lighting up menorahs at the main headquarters."

"It's not the first time that your uncle had a presence around. He once came to Gehenna in Sylvanus' absence in which he ordered all of the kitchen staff to make the Jewish food for Hanukkah."

"I heard all about it, but I wanted to go with him."

"And your brothers forbade it, didn't they?"

"Oh, they got it coming when Dad showed up during Thanksgiving when he forced them to clean the kitchen after the dinner festivities. He sure made them do their work after that."

"Don't forget; your brothers were saved by Sam from the Rakuen Priesthood's wrath before our wedding. At least they're doing their part after being taken in. Also, Christmas is coming up, but we're most likely to be running a little late."

"Dean and Magda to the bridge," said a male voice over the intercom.

"Well, that's our cue, so we better get going..."

And so, Dean and Magda left their quarters as they were on their way to the bridge. It was at that moment that they saw another ship on screen as it had the Mark of Cain painted on it in red. The other ship meant business as it fired its weapons at the Hunter Corps ship. Dean didn't take no punches as he decided to fire back by shooting at the intruder in the ship's path.

"Dean, we can't fire too much," said Colchuvar cautiously. "We need to save our ammo."

"That's an Army of Cain ship," he said. "We're not gonna go down like dogs in this fight, so we're returning the favor by sticking it into those demonic sons-of-bitches!"

_BOOM!_

The ship took another direct hit as the intruder was ready to activate its secret weapon. The Army of Cain ship revealed a gaping hole as it was about to fire a huge blast at the Hunter Corps ship. Just as it was about to do so, the Hunter Corps ship teleported away without a trace as it was also shielded from the attack. Dean didn't know what to think as he saw Alecrian space in which he even saw Alecrast directly. Something directed the ship from danger as he was relieved that it wasn't destroyed by the Army of Cain ship.

"Son-of-a-bitch," he said to himself.

"We've been pulled out of the frying pan after dealing with something like that," said Colchuvar.

"What just happened?" asked Magda

"I have no idea, but we nearly bit the bullet on this one. Whoever cast in the god-like powers to bring us out of harm's way, ought to have a huge steak dinner after that."

"I know who did this," said Dean.

"What are you talking about?" asked Magda.

"Sam did it..."

Dean looked out the window as he was seeing Alecrast in full view. He was ready to greet me as the Hunter Corps ship was ready to land there in order to have it repaired. It was my raw power that saved the crew of the Hunter Corps ship the second time as it was going towards Alecrast as planned. Dean smiled as he was glad to be alive in which he was going to thank me for saving him in space, for the Army of Cain had become a nuisance along with the other threats that were on our agenda. For the time being, Dean couldn't wait to tell me about his brush with the infamous Army of Cain, for he would get at them someday..., but not now...

"Don't worry, little brother," he said to himself. "I'm gonna be there to stick it into them."

**To be continued...**


	7. Christmas on a Large Scale

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 7: Christmas on a Large Scale**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

**It's... a Special Presentation!**

It had been eight days since Hanukkah as Christmas was only three days away. Kanto Village was getting ready to celebrate the holiday as everyone in all diverse races were waiting for Santa Claus, or Father Christmas, to arrive with presents. By the time nightfall came, it was quiet as everyone here was going to bed, but one household was making last preparations for the Christmas festival. The man of the house, an Elf, was busy getting things ready as he saw his two daughters coming downstairs to see what he was doing. Even though it was past their bedtime, they couldn't wait to see Father Christmas arrive on the big day.

"The both of you need to get to bed," said the father.

"But Dad, I wanna know what Father Christmas looks like," said the younger girl with lavender hair.

"Hey, Christmas comes once a year, but you and your sister need to get to bed."

"Are you sure, Dad?" asked the older girl with teal hair.

"I'm positive; it's gonna be a wonderful Christmas this year, so I suggest that you get to bed or else you'll get coal in your stockings."

The two Elf girls obeyed their father as they went upstairs to bed. As for the man of the house, he was finishing up the planning for Christmas as he was also ready to go to bed. Just as he was about to do so, he heard a loud thump on the roof as he wanted to know what was out there. When he went outside, he noticed nothing as he went back inside for the night. It was going to get worse as he saw something standing in his way. It was a tall creature that came through the roof as it attacked him so readily. The man of the house was being hauled out of his home as he was even clawing at the rug just to hold on for dear life. His screams were heard by his family as they rushed downstairs to see that he was gone. There was much of a struggle as strands of hair and blood were on the floor as the worst thing that was lurking around became far more worse than ever...

* * *

I woke up as I was back in the infirmary wing once again. This time, I was seeing Kevin standing guard as I saw him sitting in a chair. I was put on watch as I even had an i.v. drip in my arm, but I wanted to get up and move around. Still, I was exhausted as I felt the effects of the raw power ebbing after that day. To my surprise, I noticed a plate of lox next to the nightstand as I grabbed it and chowed down. The taste of the cured salmon and cream cheese satisfied me in the bagels it rested in as I couldn't help myself that time. I was hungry after being out for the whole Hanukkah holidays as I wanted to get up and see Reiko.

"Hey, you can't get up yet," said Kevin as he barred me from leaving.

"I've been in the infirmary for days," I said. "I can't be cooped up in here forever."

"Sam, you passed out after that surge of raw power shot up in the sky. Even Shigeru wanted you to stay in bed after what you've been through."

"Hey!" yelled Shigeru as he rushed into the room with a newspaper in his hands. "You better take a look at this! 'Local man, Daryl Stevenson, kidnapped from his home last night. Wife and daughters distraught after seeing gruesome evidence of terrible ordeal before Christmas.' This news screams Elder Days material here."

"Are you sure of this?"

"Damn straight, but the local _Gestapo_ have been putting the people around the village on lockdown."

"Is there any clue to where this Stevenson guy could be?" asked Kevin.

"No, but when I went there, I saw a wreath that hung over the fireplace in the Stevenson house." Shigeru fishes out a piece of wreath as he even got out a tooth that have knocked out from a mouth. "Well, Sammy? What do you think?"

"The wreath that you plucked the bits out of comes from an extinct plant known as meadowsweet." I said. "It's been centuries that this plant came to fruition, but due to the terror that it attracted from the Elder Days, it was choked out until now."

"And it's made a comeback..."

"Meadowsweet? Is _that_ what it is?" asked Kevin out of curiosity.

"According to what I read in those books of knowledge before I left the fort on Gehenna, meadowsweet is a Pagan plant that has been used for ritual sacrifices long ago. It is also known for its sweet smell and its ability to attract a Pagan god to do one's bidding."

"According to Gramps, there was an incident in which two of the Ancient Pagans were up to no good while making meadowsweet wreaths to attract unwanted attention in the form of a Pagan god that breaks into houses and takes someone just to feed their appetites in exchange for warmer weather. Anyway, that all changed when those Ancient Pagans got what was coming to them, but there would be a time when we'll face something like this again."

I had a feeling that I would be called into action again as I was finally up and about. Even though I was dizzy, I maintained my balance as I touched the walls of my room, but I was stopped by Kevin, who directed me back to my bed. Still, I wanted to see Reiko again as I even felt the need to be with her while she rested during her pregnancy. It wasn't long until I noticed Dean coming into the room as he was stuck here until the Hunter Corps ship was fully repaired. He was also concerned for me as he saw me still exhausted from what I've been through during Hanukkah eight days ago, but he even wanted to thank me for something that wasn't in my control due to the raw power I had in me.

"I take it that you didn't get out of bed yet," he said.

"I was going to until Kevin stopped me," I said.

"Hey, I placed Kevin here so that you would be protected. Eight days ago, I nearly bit it when my crew nearly bit it in space."

"Oh, dear God...," I felt my hands trembling. "What... happened in space?"

"A couple of days ago, we saw a battle cruiser with the Mark of Cain painted on it. I had a feeling that the Army of Cain would end up seeing us out in the open and they literally _fired_ on our asses. They even had a giga laser that was poised to obliterate us until we were put out of harm's way at the last minute."

"Looks like God's on your side after all."

"That's not it, Sam. I know that you sensed us in danger and I know that you used your raw power to get us out. We're lucky that we lived, but the ship's at the main headquarters right now being repaired after that attack. I know that you bailed us out, Sam. I also know that if you didn't use your raw power to save our asses at the last minute, we'd be floating in space right now."

I still felt my hands trembling as I was reminded of the day that I felt the surge of raw power becoming a beacon that shot up in the winter sky. I also had a feeling that the raw power inside me would get out of control as I just wanted to get a scalpel and carve out the jeweled sigil out of my forehead. I would end up being a risk to everyone around me, including friends and family, as I was about to use my hand to get the sigil off. Just as I was about to do so, I was stopped by Dean and the others as they saw me with tears in my eyes. I was a burden and a threat to everyone as I just wanted to simply fade away, for I had a feeling that my raw power would end up getting out of control if I wasn't careful.

"No, don't remove the sigil," said Kevin as he was concerned for my health. "If you do that, then you'll be making a mistake."

"My raw power is nothing but a burden," I said.

"No, it's not," said Shigeru. "That burden got Dean and the other Hunter Corps soldiers under Colchuvar out of harm's way. It's a miracle that you saved them from being blown to bits or else they would've been space debris by now."

"What if something went wrong? What if my raw power harmed people instead of helping? I can't take that risk if that ever happened."

"Nothing will go wrong," said Dean. "You have the best weapon in your arsenal and you're trying to remove that sigil you were born with just now? Look at yourself! You need to get it together, alright? And another thing, be thankful for what you've got because nothing else can replace it." He sees me burying my face in my hands. "You saw someone give you a hard time while you were resting up, didn't you?" I nodded. "Was it Sawney Masbath?" I nodded again. "That son-of-a-bitch! He had the gall to come here to tell you off about your raw power, didn't he?"

"That wasn't all, Dean. He bears a grudge against Dad for marrying Mom all those years ago."

"Sawney Masbath is a blackmailer and a bully, Sam," said Shigeru. "He knows when to strike at will, but he was no match for Colchuvar and Gramps when he left this castle. Besides, it's supposed to be a happy holiday, but we'll even find the Pagan menace that's been terrorizing Kanto Village. Also, you need to get over your guilt about what happened and your raw power is the best bet to get our asses out of harm's way if need be. So, are we good?"

I nodded in agreement as I decided to get up after all. After resting up in bed for eight days, I wanted to be ready to look in on what was terrorizing Kanto Village during the Christmas season as I left my room in the infirmary wing while I removed the i.v. drip out of my arm. When I went towards the bathroom, I noticed a change of clothes on the toilet seat as I got dressed and was ready to go. The news about the infamous monster terrorizing Kanto Village made me return to work once again as I went towards my office in which I was ready to delve into the knowledge of the Elder Days soon enough. I was looking through various volumes until I noticed the same leather journal on my desk. When I read through it, there was an entry in which a Pagan god of the Winter Solstice had been documented in which its worshippers were killed by evergreen wood stakes back in the Elder Days. The intel was worthy of finding when or where the infamous Pagan god might strike next as I was ready to go outside towards the village.

To my surprise, I saw Reiko come into my office as she was noticing me hard at work. It was also then when I noticed her with a Christmas present in her hands as she placed it by the small tree in my office. Speaking of Christmas, I hadn't bought Reiko a gift yet as I wanted to get one for her before it started. I even noticed that she was feeling at the bump as she felt the twins moving inside of her. They were our blessings as we were most likely to be giving them the best Christmas even though they haven't been born yet.

"I take it that you've been working," said Reiko.

"I know," I said. "I also see that you're out of bed just like me."

"I heard from Shigeru that there was a monster here in the village."

"Yes, and it needs to be stopped before it takes another innocent person in hindsight."

"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve, Sammy. We should've been preparing dinner by now..."

"I should've done it, too, but it looks like Herschel would be in the kitchen cooking along with Dirk right now."

"Don't worry about it. You never know when our dinner will get done."

"There's gonna be a turkey with stuffing along with the desserts that will be made."

"I can make the cheesecakes, including the strawberry ones."

"Are you sure about this?"

"I'll be fine, Sammy. You don't have to worry too much about me because I have the help of our family at my side."

I was dreading the dinner disaster as I didn't let it get to me too much. Still, I had a job to do as I wanted to make sure that this infamous Pagan god would do no more damage here. I was ready to find out more about what Shigeru found as I was aware of the meadowsweet problem. Out of curiosity, I went towards the window as I noticed the clearing in which there were pine trees there. The smell of them was the scent of winter and Christmas as I was in a mode of both celebrating the holiday and stopping the monster that was terrorizing Kanto Village, for I had my work cut out for me for the time being...

* * *

**Two Thousand Years Into the Past...**

Winter was all over Sioux Falls as Sam and Dean returned from a hunting job that involved an old coin, bipolar teddy bears, and everything in between. Snow fell all over the junkyard as the Impala pulled up and was ready to check in on what was going on. Still, the reemergence of Dean and the breaking of the sixty-six seals were more than just something that came out of the blue, for there was the Christmas season that was there as numerous decorations were filling the junkyard of Bobby's house. It was also at that moment that Sam was busy cleaning up the house as he was getting things done just in time for the holidays. Last year was a wake up call to him as he celebrated Christmas with Dean before he was taken to hell months ago, but this time, he was doing a minimal celebration so far. By the time he was finished, he saw Dean and Bobby return as they had all the fixings for a small Christmas dinner.

"Honey, we're home," said Dean.

"At least we're not at Oktoberfest," said Sam.

"You boys went to Oktoberfest?" said Bobby.

"Yeah, and we encountered a shapeshifter that turned into all the cheesy monster movie villains that came out of those Universal films."

"Hey, I got dressed up in _lederhosen_ and nearly got electrocuted," said Dean.

"Anyway, tomorrow's Christmas and you boys and I are gonna kick it off without any Pagan gods dressed up like _Ozzie and Harriet_," said Bobby. "By the way, Otoka and Samehada were busy putting Christmas lights all over the place, so you better watch out before the Impala becomes a Christmas float."

"Hey, no one's touching Baby!"

"Tell that to Beavis and Butt-Head outside..."

Dean ran outside as he saw his worst nightmare come to life. He saw the Impala all decorated up in Christmas lights and wreaths that were made from old beer cans along with the "Merry X-mas" sign all in white spraypaint. He had never seen anything like it on the Impala before as Sam and Bobby went outside to see. They didn't know what to think as they noticed Otoka and Samehada sitting on top of an old car just watching them like two cats. They were really into the holiday spirit as they were glad to have such amenities like this.

"So, what do you think so far?" asked Otoka.

"You violated Baby, smart-ass," said Dean.

"It's the Christmas season and besides, we all have to get festive."

"Yeah, but did you have to put the Christmas lights and beer can wreaths all over the car?"

"Hey, lighten up, will you?" said Samehada. "At least you're up and alive again. You can also thank that angel for bringing you back up from Hell of all places."

"Hey, I got out, didn't I? As for the Christmas, we don't have much presents, but we'll get by."

"Well, at least there isn't a Sapphire Barbie doll here," said Sam.

"You got a Sapphire Barbie?" said Otoka as he was laughing.

"Well, at least you didn't get a G.I. Joe doll that had a voice box that sounded like Barbie," said Samehada. "That could put a damper on the toy selections so far."

Otoka couldn't stop laughing at the fact that Sam got a Sapphire Barbie from long ago as he couldn't get enough of what happened. The reaction was classic as even Bobby and Samehada were giggling at the notion that became a funny memory. Christmas was a time for family, friends, and holiday fun as the festivities were putting everyone at ease for now...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present...**

I was ready to go out the door as I saw Shigeru standing in my way. Like me, he was also ready to stop the Christmas monster from wreaking havoc as we were ready to go towards the village. When we were in the clearing, I had an idea as I saw the pine trees that had fresh snow on them. With my sword drawn out, I saw the nearest branches as I cut them off in order to make wooden stakes out of them. The trees here were evergreen ones as they were an effective weapon against those who bring a Pagan monster here to Kanto Village. It was the least we can do as tomorrow was Christmas Eve and I haven't gotten Reiko a gift yet.

"So, what's with all the stakes?" asked Shigeru.

"I know what we're dealing with," I said.

"And what is that, pray tell?"

"We're dealing with Hold Nackar, a Pagan god that appears on the Winter Solstice after being silenced for two thousand years."

"And we're dealing with it before Christmas Eve..."

"The disappearance of one of the villagers pose a red flag when meadowsweet becomes involved."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's bag this bad Santa before it does more damage."

And so, we left the castle as we were on our way to Kanto Village as planned. Still, it was quiet as we noticed the local authorities scouring the area for suspicious activity since last night's attack. It was also the moment that I was about to get something for Reiko as I went to a gift shop. The sound of Christmas music blaring in the store was the only thing lively in there as I noticed the place empty except for the shop clerk. It was also at that moment that I saw a pair of earrings that were carved from Atreidian shells as I found them to be beautiful. It was the perfect gift for Reiko as I was ready to pay for them with my stipend money.

"You sure know how to get the best jewelry," said the clerk as he took my money and placed it into the register. "It's gotten too quiet since last night's attack."

"I heard all about it," I said.

"To tell you the truth, this isn't the first time since this happened. The night before Daryl Stevenson disappeared, there was another guy that was in bed at night in which his wife told the authorities about the stranger that came through the chimney and nabbed him. And just before the stranger took off, he grabbed a cookie and left before the _Gestapo_ got here. And last year, there had been disappearances of people in Bilbo and the year before that, there were disappearances of people in Oghree, which is near the Southern Stride."

"Looks like the authorities have their hands full."

"Actually, something bothers me about those wreaths that were sold from the holiday store."

"And what's been bugging you?" asked Shigeru as he came into the store.

"The wreaths themselves were made of a forbidden plant that hasn't been heard of since the time of the Elder Days."

"Was it meadowsweet?" The clerk nods. "And so, the wreaths become a bug zapper that attracts bugs in which our stranger is a Pagan god that feasts on people in the time of the Winter Solstice."

The clerk fainted at that notion as we gathered him towards a bench and set him down. We now had a lead as we were on to something at last. We were dealing with a Pagan god as it was terrorizing Kanto Village without mercy. By the time we left the gift shop, we were seeing the holiday shop being circled many times by the local authorities as we had to get out of sight before being spotted. By the time we saw them leave their shift, we took no punches as we made our way towards the holiday shop in which we were ready to step inside. Even though the door was locked, Shigeru had a lockpick with him as he unlocked the door and entered inside. When I followed him in, we both saw lots of Christmas décor all over the place as we even saw the meadowsweet wreaths being strewn on the wall for sale. We were certain that the wreaths were a beacon of attracting the infamous Pagan god that came here to Kanto village as we decided to go even further.

"So, let's see what's behind door number one...," said Shigeru.

"We can't stay here for too long," I said as I saw one of the authorities approaching.

"You gotta be kidding me..." Shigeru spots the chief of police standing at the gift shop as he was ready to strike. "We're gonna have to put our investigation on hold, Sam."

"It's Chief Tamanori on the sly. He's one of the locals that have been known for standing in front of his target."

"I bet that this guy's part of the Order."

"No, but the guy's most likely to pounce without us knowing, so we better get out the back door."

And so, we saw the back door as we unlocked it and fled after locking it behind us. When we left the holiday shop, we saw a strange house that had many decorations on it. The place was the stuff of Christmas sweets as we even smelled a familiar scent that rubbed us the wrong way. It was the smell of death as we decided to go inside to see what was going on in the house. When we noticed the door unlocked, we crept right in as we were seeing the inside spread of sweets and Christmas décor strewn all over the house. Even though we saw the decorations all in a row, I had a gut feeling that the pungent smell we noticed earlier was getting stronger as I went towards the entrance of a basement. When I went downstairs with Shigeru following me, we saw the carnage that was everywhere as we even saw what was left of Daryl Stevenson, who was nothing but a mess of torn flesh and bone.

"There went Daryl Stevenson," said Shigeru.

"This place is nothing more than a chamber of horrors that hides in a shroud of holiday décor," I said. "It's ironic that something like this would happen here, but we're gonna have to stop whoever is killing these people."

"Sam, look out!"

I saw a flashlight shining in my face as I noticed the two occupants standing in front of both me and Shigeru. It was at that moment that we saw the man and woman in front of us as they were showing their true colors while in a shroud of normalcy. They were the most normalized pair we've ever seen before as we were caught just in time for their unholy feast. We were done for as we were caught for such an unholy purpose indeed...

* * *

Dean was back at the castle as he was noticing that I wasn't there. He was looking for me as he wanted me to remain in bed after that surge of raw power. When he got to my office, he saw the leather journal on my desk as he found it and opened it up. It was at that moment that he found an old reference about what was recorded in the time of the Elder Days. He saw the report of the god of the Winter Solstice, Hold Nickar, as it was written that two Pagans were worshipping him. Still, he found that the only way to stop such a monster is to kill its worshippers with evergreen stakes. He had to follow his gut instinct this time as he sprinted out of my office and went outside. He knew what to do as he saw a tree that needed a little pruning done to it.

When he gathered many evergreen sticks, he began to carve them into stakes as he was ready to go towards Kanto Village without delay. He had a feeling that I would be in danger as he was ready to leave. Just as he was about to do so, he saw Kevin tagging along as he didn't want him to leave him unattended on a hunt like this. Both members of the Hunter Corps were ready to go as they were going towards the path to the village, where the monstrous attacks occurred.

"Just for the record, we're disobeying Master Colchuvar's orders here," said Kevin.

"Colchuvar can wait," said Dean. "After our skirmish against an Army of Cain ship, our mode of transportation's in the shop right now getting repaired."

"So, we're grounded, right?"

"At least it gives us something to do."

"What are we looking for, anyway?"

"We're looking for an evil Santa." Dean sees traces of footprints in the snow as he was ready to follow the trail. "Anyway, Sam and Shigeru were here, so we won't lose sight of our goal into stopping this infamous Hold Nickar here before he goes through another poor schlub's chimney and nabs him in the night."

Dean and Kevin continued to follow the trail of footprints in the snow as they were most likely to be going towards Kanto Village on the spot. They were hell-bent on finding me in time as they also had to make sure that no other people are taken out of their homes just for sacrifice to a Pagan god. It was the least they can do as they were going towards the village that was on lockdown...

* * *

**Many years ago on Gehenna...**

Dean was outside in weather gear as he was busy at the training grounds conditioning himself to be a soldier. He was the most sharp of all the young teen trainees as he was ready to become a soldier in the fort. When he went inside, he noticed me sitting on the steps as I was holding the red rubber ball in my hands. We also had to consider the holidays on hand as Christmas was coming up soon. When he saw me going towards my room with the red rubber ball, I was stopped by him as he was concerned about my well-being. It had been four years since we were put here on Gehenna as we had our work cut out for us. Even though Christmas was coming, we both had to stick together as we were all we've got so far.

It was also at that moment that the smell of Christmas dinner was wafting through the mess hall and kitchen as I didn't want any part of it. All along, I was viewed as both a doormat and a stepping stone as I didn't want to get too involved into too much going on here. I wanted to leave as I decided to get out of the way. I didn't want to be spotted by Sylvanus as I sprinted out of the mess hall with the red ball in my hands. By the time I went to my room, I stayed in there as I didn't want to be badgered by any other soldier here in the fort..., until Dean intervened.

"Sam, what are you doing?" he asked me.

"I don't wanna go out there right now," I said.

"But Chomaru's cooking turkey and beef brisket and all sorts of things. You should get out there and eat just like the rest of us."

"Sorry, but I'm not hungry."

"Yeah, you are; you're just saying that because you don't wanna go out there in the mess hall."

"Dean, it's been four years since we were put here and Sylvanus always puts me down all the time. Besides, the mess hall's for soldiers only, not servants."

"Sam, we may be here on Gehenna, but we also have school and training here. We can't let all that go to waste. Besides, Christmas is coming, so I suggest that you stop worrying and get out to the mess hall to get something to eat."

"I'll be right with you..."

I watched Dean leave my room as I simply just sat on the bed. I didn't want to go out in the mess hall as I dreaded Sylvanus and his booming wrath here at the fort. Even though I smelled the food that was cooking, I had to remain in my room as I was trying hard to suppress the hunger that I had. When I was ready to leave my room, I opened up the door as I saw Dean rush in with a platter of food in his hands. The platter had a lot of things on it as I noticed the turkey and stuffing along with some beef brisket, mashed potatoes, rice balls, asparagus, dinner rolls, and black olives. It was something that I wanted to eat, but I had to keep away from them so I wouldn't get yelled at by Sylvanus.

"Here," said Dean as he got out a rice ball for me. "You should take it."

"But Sylvanus said that only soldiers get to eat," I said.

"C'mon, Sammy, you can't starve yourself forever. I know that Sylvanus yelled at you for getting into the kitchen, but you can't just sit in your room wasting away. Hell, even our teacher gets worried if you don't get enough food during lunch."

"It's not the point, Dean! I'm not hungry, okay?! Soldiers eat first!"

"It's always the soldiers eating first, but what about you? You always get left out all because you are different than the rest of us. Anyway, I already ate, but at least that Chomaru was on hand to care about you in order for me to bring this to you."

Without no further argument, Dean ran towards me as he was ready to shove the rice ball into my mouth. It was at that moment that he got fed up with me not accepting food as he was ready to put that rice ball in my mouth so readily. Just as I was about to get away, I was pinned by my brother as he was finally shoving the rice ball into my mouth while covering his hands over it. The taste of the rice ball was slightly bland as I swallowed some of it. I was about to choke until I saw Dean let go and gave me some water to wash down the rice ball.

"So, what do you think?" he asked me.

"You didn't have to force-feed me!" I yelled.

"Hey, you can't just starve yourself all because you have to obey Sylvanus all the time. All that asshat ever does is care for the well-being of the soldiers instead of you."

"It's been like this since Dad died. We never had any normal Christmases since we've been here. It's like that meanie told us when it came to no attachments."

"Sam, listen to me. As long as I'm here, you'll be safe. As long as we're here for one another, we'll survive, okay?" I nodded as I finished up the rice ball. "To tell you the truth, I've gotten fed up with the way Sylvanus treats you all the time by using food deprivation as a weapon against you. Besides, I asked Chomaru to always give you food even if you don't want it. Also, it's better that you live because we're all we've got right now."

"Aren't you gonna have some food?"

"This food's all yours because I care about you. Even though we have to endure this place when we get bigger, we'll always have Christmas together, no matter what." I simply just stared at the food that was given to me as I didn't want to touch anything on it. "C'mon, you gotta eat something. Besides, Sylvanus can't yell at you while in you're room."

I took a piece of beef brisket as I started to eat it. The taste of it reminded me of how much I wanted to get home to Alecrast so badly as I decided to get a spoon to try everything else. I was reminded of how family was important as I was very hungry to the extreme. Dean was pleased to see me eat what was on the platter as I couldn't get enough. He was happy that I had my fill of food as he wanted what was best for me. We were celebrating the holidays together, for Christmas was something that we kept in our hearts despite the trouble we get into...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present..., again!**

Reiko was sitting in my office as she was staring at the Christmas tree that was in there. She was worried about me as she wanted to make sure that I was alright and safe for this holiday season. It was also at that moment that she saw Bobby coming in to my office as he stretched his hind legs and sat down on the footrest that was comfortable for a cat like him. He saw the Christmas tree décor as he was very happy to have both the warmth and action of the holidays here in the castle, for it would be something that would be a worry if the Pagan mess wasn't stopped in time.

"Hello," said Reiko as she was staring at Bobby. "I take it that you like being in here."

"It's a bit of nostalgia," he said. "Anyway, this isn't the first time that we're dealing with a Pagan god."

"Did Sammy's past life go up against something like that?"

"Back in the Elder Days, there was trouble when the boys were dealing with the infamous Hold Nickar, the god of the Winter Solstice. They even had to deal with two people who seem normal, but they were worshippers that carried the evil Santa around."

"What happened after that?"

"As usual, they got taken out by an evergreen stake, but when the time passed, everything was changing when most of the human population left the planet and came here. There was even the presence of meadowsweet that grew all over the planets until it was all but eradicated until some came up."

"I see..."

"Anyway, Sam and Shigeru went off to stop whoever or whatever was nabbing people from out of their homes before they turn tail and leave. At least they'll do us a favor into saving Christmas from such terror."

"Sammy..."

"Hey," said Dirk as he came into my office. "Have you seen Sam lately?" Reiko shakes her head. "Did he go and try to find who kidnapped that guy from his home?"

"Kid, the ones that did the kidnapping aren't to be taken lightly. Sooner or later, they'll end up leaving so they can pick another town to terrorize."

"Let's hope Sam puts them in their place... By the way, I'm gonna make some Christmas chocolate. I might even make some for you, Reiko."

"I'm sure that Sammy would come back soon to try some chocolate. I might even make some strawberry cheesecakes for Christmas," she said.

"Hey, don't try to move around too much and besides, I'll do some of the cooking because I was taught by my mom and by you and Sam. I got my bases covered."

Reiko smiled at that sentiment as she saw Dirk leave my office. Even Bobby saw him leave as he was still sitting there on the footrest. He had his fair share of holidays as he even remembered the time when the Impala got decorated long ago, for he might see it again with all the Christmas décor that one could muster...

* * *

I was tied up in a chair alongside Shigeru as we were both in the kitchen that was full of holiday décor. It was hell as we even had our swords and evergreen stakes taken away as well. It would be a matter of time before anyone came for us, but we had to wait until we made our next move. By the time our captors came into the kitchen, they were simply gleeful as they had us on the spot. We were seeing the two monsters in human clothing setting out baked things as they were getting ready for tonight's sacrifice: us. I was noticing one of the monsters setting out a pewter goblet on the table as she was joyous into bringing such a feast to this place. As for the other monster, he was just sitting there with a pipe in his mouth as he couldn't wait to savor the sacrifice on hand. Our captors weren't the type to hide in secrecy so readily as they were dressed up in those ugly Christmas sweaters along with some holiday décor on their heads. They were simply gleeful into doing away with us as they even had knives in their hands along with a metal bowl.

"Well, Sammy, we're in the gingerbread house right now," said Shigeru.

"Oh, that's not very nice," said the first monster as she was putting small meadowsweet wreaths on us. "Well, we've been giving out nice wreaths like this since we came here on this planet. Oh, aren't you two such darlings? I could just eat you two up."

"You mean by using your god to target people by kidnapping them after buying your wreaths? Your predecessors weren't so lucky after they died out in the Elder Days."

"Edward and Madge may have died long ago, but there's more of us that keep up the tradition of our gods," said the other monster.

"We saw your dirty little secret," I said. "Daryl Stevenson didn't deserve to get tugged out of his home just to be killed and eaten."

"Oh, we had our tributes long ago, but our meadowsweet wreaths did the trick when we came here two years ago," said the first monster.

"Yes, sirree! Our wreaths were the finest in the world just in time for the holidays," said the other monster. "Our presence here in this region was the most fertile. Two years ago, we were in Oghree and last year, we were in Bilbo."

"And now you're here in Kanto Village," said Shigeru. "Sorry, but there are people here just to find you and take you out."

"Oh, I beg to differ, young man."

I saw one of the monsters get out his knife and bowl as he was ready to bring out the bloodletting for the feast for their god. When I saw him roll up my sleeve, I felt the knife tear into my right arm as I felt the blood leaking into the pewter bowl in his hand. Shigeru wanted to get out of there as he saw the other monster get out her knife and tore into his skin while holding the same pewter bowl. Blood seeped out of his left arm as it flowed into the bowl so readily.

"Man that's a pain in the ass," he said as he winced in pain.

"No swearing allowed, young man," said the other monster as he waved his pipe. "We all need a wholesome atmosphere around here and you can't be saying those dirty words."

"Oh, bite me."

"You should be more cautious in what you say or else you'll end up bringing your change to the swear jar. Now that your blood's been collected, there will be a fingernail and a tooth that we can have."

The second monster approached me as he had a pair of pliers in his hand. He was ready to do the worst on me as he grabbed my hand and placed the pliers on one of the fingers. It wasn't long until I felt my index finger being gripped as I felt the nail being torn from the nailbed. Pain engulfed me as I was seething in agony. With the fingernail collected and put into the pewter bowl, it was time for the tooth as the first monster had some pliers of her own in which she was going to use them on Shigeru. He was done for as he was about to be put under the ringer...

_DING-DONG!_

….Speaking of which, the sound of the doorbell was heard as the two monsters went towards the front door to answer it. When they opened it up, they saw one of the local authorities standing at the door as he was concerned for the safety of the citizens here in Kanto Village. He was the same man that was on watch as he wanted to see if everyone was safe or not.

"Good evening, officer," said the second monster as he was putting his pipe into his mouth. "What brings you here to our house?"

"We've been on the lookout for the chimney kidnapper," said the official. "Let's hope that nothing bad happens tonight."

"Oh, nothing bad will ever happen tonight," said the first monster. "We're safe in our homes just like everyone else."

"Okay, but if anything happens, you get me right away, understand?"

"We'll do, officer," said the second monster.

"Take care," said the first monster.

"Don't forget the fruit cake!"

When they saw the official leave, they were ready to resume their work as they went towards the kitchen. To their shock, they found that we were gone as we made a clean escape for it, but for how long? The first monster noticed our scent due to the blood that was spent as she followed us towards the living room, where we were bolted up. It was a godsend that our stakes were stacked up near the fireplace as they didn't get used up for firewood this time. Picking them up, we grabbed on as we were ready to put a stop to the two Pagan worshippers and their evil ways. By the time we saw them break through the door and everything near it, they were ready to stop us in our tracks.

"Okay, bring it," said Shigeru.

"One of you has raw power to destroy us, don't you?" asked the first monster.

"I thought you guys only go from town to town just to collect tributes."

"We sure made bank here," said the second monster. "Besides, Abaddon and the Army of Cain would be pleased if they see you die here from our god's hunger."

"You leave Sam out of this! Besides, you asshats know _nothing_ about him!"

"We saw the signs here," said the first monster. "We even knew that there would be one born with raw power just to put a damper on any form of evil."

"You won't live much longer to tell the tale," I said as I was ready to use my raw power.

Without warning, I felt my power surging as I used my mind to lift the evergreen stakes with telekinesis. Just as the two Pagan monsters were about to attack us, I used the stakes to kill them as they would never do any more sacrifices to their god or cause more danger in another town again when they fell to the floor. Shigeru was stunned to see me at full power as he saw the two monsters revert to their true forms. I became exhausted as I felt my knees buckle in which I fell backwards, only to see mine and Shigeru's swords placed there against the wall.

"You sure did a number on those two," he said as he got his sword and helped me up.

"Well, show's over," I said as I picked up my own sword.

Just as we were about to say more, we saw Dean and Kevin burst into the house as they were shocked to see the two monsters dead from a barrage of evergreen stakes. Even though the trouble was over, we had to get out quickly as we had a feeling that the locals would be coming. With the threat gone, everyone here in Kanto Village was safe once again as the Christmas celebrations would resume without worry or fear.

"What the hell happened in here?" asked Dean.

"We just went up against some Pagan worshippers that nearly ate us," said Shigeru.

"I bet that Master Colchuvar would get a kick out of this," said Kevin as he saw the evidence of the dead monsters on the floor. "Looks like you two just took them out with a lot of wood here."

"Actually, Sam did it all. He used his raw power just to stake those bastards to death."

"You mean _Ozzie and Harriet_ over here?" Shigeru nods. "C'mon, we gotta get you two out of here before-"

Without warning, we heard the sound of a whistle from outside as we left through the back door. We had to get out of here before anything else happened, but we were stopped by the same official who kept watch. It was the same one who stood in front of the holiday store as he wanted to get answers out of us so readily, for we were the one who broke into the house where the Pagan worshippers did their damage here.

"So, what are you four doing here on a time of lockdown?" he asked.

"Chief Tamanori, I presume?" I said.

"Earlier, there was nothing wrong in that house, but I decided to take a second look to see if there wasn't any trouble."

"Officer, there _was _trouble," said Shigeru.

"And what kind is it?"

"The two occupants who were in the house were the ones that dragged Daryl Stevenson out of his home and later killed and ate him," I said. "They were later killed in self-defense, but they were also the ones that did their unholy activity by selling meadowsweet wreaths in the towns of Oghree and Bilbo."

"Are you serious?"

"He's dead serious," said Kevin. "Besides, the two occupants aren't the ones you can invite to your next ugly sweater party."

Chief Tamanori decided to go into the house as he even made sure that we didn't get charged with anything serious. It was a strange ending for us, but after all that mess, we were sure to save Christmas from such an evil threat in the form of a Pagan god...

* * *

Dirk was busy in the kitchen as he was making some chocolate for the holidays. Even though it was Christmas vacation, he wanted to make the best of it as he was busy cooking it up and putting it into the holiday molds that were on the countertop. By the time he was finished, he heard footsteps approaching as he saw us coming into the castle from the kitchen door. Shigeru and I were all bandaged up after being cut from the two monsters as we were tired from all our work. Even Dean and Kevin were tired as they were exhausted from following us into the village.

"You're late," said Dirk.

"We just took out some Pagan worshippers and their god," said Shigeru.

"Did you also save the guy that got nabbed?"

"No, but we avenged him," I said.

"Sam, what happened to your finger?" Dirk notices a bandage on the finger where the nail was torn off.

"I had a problem with the monsters. As for our gentleman chief of Kanto Village, he now knows about what goes on in hindsight."

"Chief Tamanori is one sharp pain in the ass," said Dean. "When he went in there, he found a lot worse than the two worshippers that were in that holiday house."

"What did he find?" asked Dirk.

"Let's just say that he found something that isn't family friendly," said Kevin. "The basement was like a horror movie."

"C'mon, let's get cleaned up," said Dean. "Besides, most of our family members are gonna get here soon."

We all had our fill of adventure for one night as we were most likely to get ready for Christmas Eve, which was tomorrow. We were grateful that we saved the day, but I was feeling the matter of doubts crawling about my raw power. This wasn't the first time that I used full force with it as I saved Shigeru and myself from a pair of Pagan monsters and their god earlier. When I walked towards the window near the back door, I was watching the snow fall from the sky as I was happy to see it here for one season of the year instead of seeing it all year round on Gehenna. I was home and welcomed as I was even ready to see Reiko once again and tell her about what I experienced earlier...

* * *

Later on in the evening, I was cleaning myself up as I was getting a shower in the bathroom. It was yet another adventure here in Kanto Village as I was scrubbing myself down with some soap and water. I had a lot on my mind as I was reminded of how the two monsters that I killed knew about Abaddon and the Army of Cain. Still, I didn't let it bother me as I just wanted to get out of the shower, brush my teeth, and get ready for bed. After I rinsed myself off, I turned off the water as I stepped out of the shower and dried myself off with a towel. After putting my towel and dirty things into the hamper, I got dressed into my nightclothes as I was going towards the sink to brush my teeth. I was starting to get tired as I finished up right away while I put up my toothbrush and toothpaste. I even put clean bandages on my arm and finger as I was making sure that the wounds wouldn't be infected. Leaving the bathroom, I was on my way to my room as I entered in here, only to see Reiko sitting up in our bed waiting for me. To my surprise, I noticed the earrings that I bought for her on her ears as I had a feeling that she got into my coat pocket and got them out before I wrapped them up.

"You found your Christmas present, didn't you?" I said as I laid down beside Reiko.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be; after what I've been through, I'm sure gonna be ready for Christmas."

"Did you take care of your wounds?"

"Yes, but the threat in the village did a number on my finger, though. Speaking of the holidays, we have the trimmings, but the rest of our Christmas presents won't be opened until tomorrow anyway."

"Sammy, here's mine to you." I saw Reiko fish out a rectangular shaped thing all wrapped up in wrapping paper and a red ribbon as she gave it to me. "Here, open it."

I did what Reiko told me as I found it to be a journal that had an Elven design on it. It was big for a journal as I was most likely to write all my experiences on the field with it. Looking at Reiko, I smiled with a big heart as I was hugging her while I felt the swollen bump on her stomach. It was at that moment that I felt the twins moving as they weren't born yet, but they will be in the spring. I couldn't wait to tell them about the holidays as I was ready to do my part as both a member of the Order and a loving person that would stop at nothing to protect his family...

* * *

It was Christmas Day as I was hard at work helping Dirk make the dinner before most of our family members arrived. After going up against some monsters two days ago, I was elated that the infamous Pagan worshippers didn't up and leave Kanto Village as they didn't terrorize anything else again. With the smell of turkey and stuffing in the oven just simmering after being cooked for hours, I was ready to prepare the cheesecakes as I later saw Reiko dressed up in a beautiful green dress that went with the earrings that I bought for her. I was happy that I was celebrating Christmas here instead of Gehenna as I saw the warmth here in the castle.

"I see that you're dressed up for the occasion instead of wearing an ugly sweater," I said.

"You look good, too, Sammy," she said.

"I know. Also, we should celebrate as much as we can, for we can tell our future about it when they arrive."

"Sammy, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, Reiko." I saw her give me a hug as I hugged her back. "As for Dean and the others, they're probably getting the rest of the fixings done."

"Hey, at least it's all for the loving when it comes to family," said Dirk as he was getting out the chocolate. "We all have each other in the end because we're family and that's all it counts."

And I agreed with that sentiment. We were here together as we had our family and friends here. Christmas was something that came once a year, but it reunited everyone here as it was a time for what we had here and then some. When I walked outside into the backyard, I saw the snow fall as Reiko accompanied me, only to see winter take its hold until spring came. When we held our hands, we saw more snow fall as we were ready to celebrate Christmas with all we have for now...

**To be continued...**


	8. With Danger Like This

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 8: With Danger Like This**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

**Five Days Before Christmas**

I was in the infirmary wing as I was exhausted from using that raw power in me. It had been four days since I felt that surge as I became tired from what I used, for it would be suitable to save people once again soon enough. It was quiet in my hospital room as I had an i.v. drip into my arm. I wanted to see Reiko again more than anything as she was in another room. I couldn't take all the quiet as I wanted to get up. Just as I was about to do so, I noticed a man with silver hair and green eyes come into my room as he was wearing black from head to toe. He was the type that was dangerous as he was simply a man with a grudge, but who does he have a grudge against?

"I see that you're recovering from your latest surge of raw power..., Sam Winchester," he said in an icy voice. "You have your mother's eyes complete with her hair, but it's a brown color indeed. You are the very image of your mother, but you have the same tallness as your father."

"You're Sawney Masbath, aren't you?" I said.

"You should've never been born from the beginning and neither was your brother, but your father came in and swept Mary off her feet due to the so-called prophecies that the Rakuen Priesthood plan."

"My father was a good man. Don't even try to soil his reputation."

"John Winchester was a man who became a soldier in which he even renounced his own title of lord of the castle. It was at that moment when he was set up to marry the daughter of Samuel Campbell who lived on Kaijirin."

"Why do you have a thing for my mother?"

"Mary Winchester..., or perhaps Mary Campbell, was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy. I wanted her all to myself, but the Rakuen Priesthood demanded that she be wed to John Winchester in order to keep the balance to all bloodlines here. Your maternal grandfather wanted me to take Mary to wife, but your maternal grandmother, Deanna, refused because she believed me to be heartless."

"I would've agreed with her there."

"You should've kept your raw power in check, otherwise, you will be hearing from me again. If I were you, I suggest that you suppress that raw power or else you would suffer the same punishment like your mother did."

"What the hell did you do?"

"You see, I wanted revenge against John Winchester for taking Mary away from me, but I decided to intervene when I caused a little accident on the ceiling."

"You killed her, didn't you?"

"For starters, Mary had it coming the moment she married your father and you would be in the same thing if you even think about telling anyone. I might even tell Reiko about how Sadie Thrippe was in love with you the whole time while you were on that rescue mission to the fort on Gehenna." I threw a tray at him as he dodged it. "As of now, Sam, I suggest that you give up using your raw power or else it would end up backfiring on you and the people you love. I would think twice about what you bear, for it should be put up or else I'll do damage to your reputation, so I suggest that you keep your mouth shut."

I threw another thing at Sawney as it hit him in the face. He was itching to kill me as he wanted to stop me in my bed until he heard the door open. I saw Colchuvar enter into the hospital room as he pinned Sawney down with such a strong grip. It was something that I never saw in the veteran before as he was determined to get him out of here soon enough. Sawney was no match for him as he wanted to get free and leave here immediately. By the time Ippei came in, he was staring at him in the face as he demanded that he had to go before anything bad happened.

"You can't do this to me!" he yelled.

"You have no right to scare Sam like that," said Ippei.

"His raw power should be silenced or else I'll tell everyone how he still pines for Sadie."

"Don't even try it. Sadie Thrippe may have had a crush on him years ago, but she had a vision about Sam and his future with Reiko, so don't go there."

"You're still in fine form after five hundred and forty years of your birth, Ippei Mitani, but you've gotten a little tempered in your title as the Sword of Alecrast."

"Don't try to go there, Masbath," said Colchuvar. "This place is Sam's, so I suggest that you do the right thing and get out before I hurt you even worse."

Colchuvar released Sawney as he saw him storm out of the castle. Even Ippei was astonished to see him go as he didn't darken another doorway again for the time being. I was also relieved as I laid back down due to the exhaustion that I had in me. I was out of it as I just wanted to go back to sleep right away, for all that talk about that man made me nervous about my raw power getting out of control. It was the worst I could bear as I tried not to think about it.

"Man, that guy pisses me off," said Ippei.

"Don't let it get to you," said Colchuvar.

"Sawney Masbath has some nerve into coming here to unnerve Sam like that and he knew where to strike." Ippei saw me shaking as I didn't say a word. "It seems like we've hit a snag."

"You gotta be kidding me."

"Sam's abilities with his raw power have been put into doubt after what he heard from Masbath. It's gonna be a crucial time to train him all over again, but he has to bear it like everyone else here in the Order."

"Then train him to control his power. As for Masbath, he can suck it for all I care."

"Colchuvar, this isn't the first time that I ran into Sawney Masbath before. After all those years, he still remains young, but he's got a secret pact with something that we don't see."

"Don't tell me..."

"Sawney Masbath summoned a demon to kill Mary Winchester when Sam was a baby. It was both punishment and an act of revenge against her for marrying John all those years ago. It's ironic that he had the gall to torment Sam like that about his raw power getting out of control, but he'll soon find out that Sam is more noble than anyone to use it to keep the balance of power in check."

"As of now, we better keep him from caving into Masbath's torment or else he really _would_ lose control of the very weapon that he has."

It was agreed that keeping my power in check and out of harm and Masbath's torment was the top priority in mind as Ippei and Colchuvar were there to make sure that I didn't falter. I was at a crossroad in which I was doubting my abilities that saved many countless times so far. I feared the worst yet to come as I curled up in my blankets and fell asleep so I wouldn't try to think about it, for I had a lot of work to do in the long run...

* * *

**Present Day...**

It had been a week since I celebrated Christmas as I was most likely to be returning to work. With the start of the New Year already put into motion, I was busy at the main headquarters as I was at the assembly with the other Elders of the Order. It was business as usual as I was even reminded on how the two Pagan gods knew about Abaddon and the Army of Cain coming after me and Reiko on the spot. By the time the clock reached three, we were out of there as I was on my way home to see my wife and ward again. Just as I was about to take the train, I saw Ippei standing in front of me as he had grim news to report. It was a bad time indeed, but I had to accept what was thrown at me, regardless at the matter at hand.

"I have to go home right now," I said.

"Sam, we need to talk," said Ippei.

"Is it the raw power that I have?"

"Yes."

"After hearing about what Masbath said, there's no telling when or where to strike next."

"Sam, there had been some speculation on how you fear of losing control of your raw power, isn't there?"

"Shortly before Christmas, Sawney Masbath came here to my home and demanded that I cease and desist my abilities or else he'll cause harm towards me, Reiko, or even _you_."

"I'm not afraid of Sawney Masbath. All I know is that he'll use any form or means to blackmail anyone who doesn't agree with him."

"He even wanted to tell everyone how Sadie was in love with me the whole time, but she couldn't have me now."

"I have spoken to Sadie Thrippe and she's seen a vision of you and Reiko about the future. Don't try to make it even harder to control. Anyway, she's engaged to Stuart Melchett at the behest of the Rakuen Priesthood, who's been looking up at the secret compartment at the fort on Gehenna you found. They're no strangers into fighting monsters from the time of the Elder Days, but they also have the reasons to fight the good fight before anything bad ever happened again at the fort."

"I'm grateful that Sadie has someone to look after her."

"Also, you should be extra careful if you end up running into Sawney Masbath again. We all know what he's capable of, but he's been known to wring the nerves of his victims in order to add to his already swollen moneybags. He's the worst person that ever came out of the inner planetary system and the bastard's known for his youthful appearance and longevity that has been inheritant in the Campbell family."

"So, he's related to me and Dean by blood..."

"To put it bluntly, Sam, the Campbells and the Masbaths are known for their youthful longevity that is coveted, but both families have been known to intermarry with one another until a certain Winchester stepped into the fray at the behest of the Rakuen Priesthood."

"I had a feeling that Dad would step into further territory..."

"There are no regrets into the decision that was made for your father and mother, Sam. If that union didn't happen, the Rakuen Priesthood would've gone after Samuel Campbell and Sawney Masbath directly. Also, you should be careful when you step into further territory yourself or else you would end up reaching a point of no return indeed. You have so much at stake, but if anything bad were to happen to you or Reiko then the opposing forces would win. We can't let that come to pass or else all hope would be lost, for we're at a crucial time right now."

I was reminded by Ippei's words as I had to make sure that I didn't fall through the cracks. I had my work cut out for me as I saw the train arrive. When I got in, I sat in one of the compartments as I was on my way home. I was exhausted from such work and affairs as I was ready to see Reiko once again. The train ride itself was going smoothly until I noticed a certain nuisance sitting in the other seat. It was Lucifer as he was back with a vengeance in which he would end up tormenting me again. My heart thudded sharply against my ribs as I felt it become a twisting knot. I thought I got rid of him. I thought I put him in his place forever. Still, I had to endure the torment of the disheveled man once again as he was ready to do his worst on me.

"Hello, Sammy," he said as he sat there. "Long time, no spooning."

"You keep away from me, do you hear me?" I said as I was shaking with fear.

"It's been nearly six months since you bottled me up with the help of Ippei and Shigeru, but they're not here. Besides, this train ride is pretty boring when you sit by yourself."

"Leave me alone. I can't take this from you, not now!"

"Oh, your mental capacity going at a crossroad is the best thing to happen since _Monday Night Football_. Get used to it, Sam, 'cause I'm gonna bring you a lot of hurt on you for bottling me up for the past six months. Six months, Sammy! Six months of sheer boredom, CNN, and perhaps the Food Network. By the way, you never told me that you and Reiko got busy and are expecting a bundle of joy in the spring. I might even seranade the tyke while you go bonkers."

"You stay away from me and my wife, do you hear me?! I won't cave in to your whim anymore because I'll always have people here to help me."

"Like Saint Ippei? Oh, please; he's gone off his rocker."

"Actually, I'm _not_ off my rocker," he said as he came into the compartment.

I saw Ippei touch at my forehead as I noticed Lucifer disappearing slowly but surely. I was relieved that Ippei came to my aid as he had a gut feeling that the infernal nuisance would end up coming back when we least expected it.

"This isn't over, Sam," said Lucifer. "You're _mine_, do you hear me?!"

"I belong to _no one_," I said as I helped use my raw power to repel the nuisance.

With that, Lucifer disappeared entirely as I felt elated at the fact that I wanted to keep my sanity and my mental capacity in check. I had to get it together as I felt my body in a cold sweat. I was still shaking as I felt my heart twisting in knots. I couldn't let Lucifer win as I had too much at stake. I was thinking about Reiko and our unborn twins as they needed me more than anything. I was also thinking about Dirk as I couldn't abandon him right now. I couldn't falter not one bit as I felt my breathing becoming shallow.

"It's alright, Sam. There's nothing to fear," said Ippei.

"I saw him," I said as I felt my heart pounding.

"I saw him, too, but I couldn't let him get to me. He knows how powerful I am after enduring all the torment that he gave me."

"Then I need to train my mind more."

"You can't worry about that forever 'cause if that happened, you'd end up in a coma like Shigeru. Also, you have a much better weapon to keep Lucifer at bay."

"Is it the raw power I have?"

"Yes, but if you manage to keep it under control, you'll have a better chance at suppressing that annoying nuisance once and for all. You're not alone here, Sam. You're not going down without a fight. All you will do now is to maintain your sanity in such a divine way imaginable."

I wasn't alone this time. I had a lot of my raw power with me as I even used it to keep my hallucination away. I couldn't let Lucifer get to me anymore as I had to train my mind even harder this time. I now had my reasons to stop such trouble in my mind's eye so far as I would stop at nothing to prevent Lucifer from taunting me again...

* * *

When the train stopped at the station in Kanto Village, I got off as I was glad to be home. When I reached the castle, I had Ippei following me as we entered into the main yard where the main house was. By the time we got inside, we smelled the scent of _nikujaga_ cooking as I went into the kitchen to see Reiko at the stove. The sight of her made me feel more concerned for her as I saw her swollen stomach protruding from her kimono. I wanted to scold her for getting out of bed, but I didn't have the heart for it as I saw her finishing up dinner.

"Welcome home," she said with a smile on her face.

"I take it that you got fed up with being in bed for too long," I said.

"I had to make dinner for us. It's the least I could do."

"And you did a fine job, too."

"I've been seasoning the food while you were away."

"You sure know how to cook," said Ippei.

"Grandfather, when did you get in?"

"I just had to stick with Sam on the train ride, but he's gonna have to savor the _nikujaga_ first. He _is_ the man of the house here."

I saw Reiko get a small spoon as she dipped it into the broth. When she pointed it at me to taste, I tasted the savory broth of the _nikujaga_ as I found it to be very amazing indeed. I was glad to be home as I hugged my wife so tenderly. I was also happy to be away from Lucifer's torment as I even vowed to suppress him from my mind for the rest of my days. I had a family to look after as I was washing my hands in the kitchen sink while getting ready to have my meal. By the time I dried my hands off with a towel, I was on my way to the dining room as I sat down at the table. When I saw Reiko bring in the pot of _nikujaga_, I brought out some bowls and spoons as I later saw Dirk and Ippei rush into the dining room and sat down. Like us, they were hungry as they were given some dinner like the rest of us. We were eating like a family together as we had our work cut out for us.

"You did a good job on the food," said Dirk as he took a bite of his food.

"I couldn't help it. I've been craving _nikujaga_, that's why I've been busy while Sam was at the main headquarters," said Reiko.

"You shouldn't carry too much after bringing that pot in here," I said. "Anyway, you should also be careful because of what you bear inside you."

"I try to be, but I wanted to do more than just be cooped up in bed."

"Reiko..."

"Sam, I wouldn't underestimate Reiko if I were you," said Ippei. "Even though she's carrying my great-grandchildren in her womb, she still has her means to look after the castle just like you."

"But I worry about her too much."

"If you end up worrying too much about Reiko, you'll end up being steeped into further stress than you are now. In the meantime, we should all enjoy the dinner."

I was staring at her as she took a bite of her _nikujaga_. I even noticed her clutching at her swollen stomach as she felt the twins surfacing inside of her. She was happy as she wanted to give our future offspring a loving environment just like me. I was truly grateful that we were here in Winchester Castle as it had been six months since we came here. I had a family and a ward to look after as I was also dreading the fact that the evil forces that were all over the place were still on the march to eliminate us because of what we possess. I had to remain vigilant into making sure that nothing bad would ever happen here as I would stop at nothing to protect the people that I love dearly, for they were my family after all...

* * *

Later on after dinner, I was in my office as I was seeing to some paperwork on my desk. It was work from all three fighting groups as they were busy going up against all forms of evil from the Elder Days. It was like Ippei said when I didn't need to steep into further stress as I put away my paperwork and was ready to go to my room for the night. Just as I was about to do so, I saw the door open as I saw Ippei come in. He had never seen me hard at work in here before, but he had a feeling that I would end up getting stressed out again. The sight of Lucifer on the train was more than enough to get him to train my mind even further as I was in for more tricks of the trade to keep me from going insane. To my surprise, I saw Ippei get out a parcel as he set it on my desk. It was at that moment that I noticed that the package came all the way from Gehenna of all places as I decided to open it up. By the time I unwrapped it, I saw a familiar tome in front of me as it was none other than the Buddhist manual that kept me from going off the deep end all those years ago.

"Well, Sam, what do you think?" asked Ippei.

"It's familiar, but I hope that I'll manage with this thing," I said.

"The stress you have on you is too much for you. You worry about Reiko all the time, you stick to your work, and you do too much that you sometimes collapse from a fever. Sometimes, you have to have balance all over or else you would end up falling apart."

"I see what you mean..."

"Sam, I know that you don't want to admit, but you're gonna have to put your raw power to the next level. According to Dean, you sensed danger when you diverted the Hunter Corps ship away from being obliterated by an Army of Cain vessel in which it was out of harm's way. You have a unique power that only you alone can utilize and besides, it's your best bet so far."

"I also have a feeling that I would end up losing control if I'm not careful."

"There's nothing to fear, for you wiill have your raw power to be your guide."

I was assured that I was alright as I had to train my brain a little longer. Even though I managed to fend off the fear that I had inside me, I had to do more as I later saw Lucifer standing in front of me once again. He was itching to get a swipe at me as I had to remain firm just like Ippei and Shigeru did. I had to suppress my fear. I had to keep it from leaking out. All I needed to do now was to make sure that the disheveled man didn't swipe at me because I also had to maintain my stress level.

"Look who wanted to show up," he said to me as he was smirking with such an ill effect.

"Don't even try it," I said.

"C'mon, Sam, don't be a tightwad like Ippei or Shigeru because I've got you earmarked for my amusement."

"You don't have anything because I won't let you do the same to me."

"Sorry, but you're mine and no matter how many times you try to tell me that you belong to no one, you'll never be free of me."

"I won't let you control my actions or life anymore, Lucifer, because we're done here. I heard all about how my past life nearly ended up dead because of you when you deprived him of sleep. You even did the same to Shigeru that he fell into a coma. I won't stand for it anymore." I felt the raw power surging in my body as it gave me the courage to stand up to the disheveled man in front of me. "It's over for you."

"Doesn't mean anything." Lucifer didn't budge as he stand firm. "Anyway, you still have me, Sammy."

I felt the fear creeping up on me again as I still saw Lucifer standing there just winking and smirking every step of the way, He was egging it on as he would stop at nothing to put further harm to me. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't go on even further until I felt the strength to conquer the annoying nuisance in the room. I had to stand my ground, for I had not only my family to protect, but my sanity to maintain as well.

"You can't do this to me, Sam, because I will always own you," said Lucifer as he stood firm.

"You don't own me, neither do you own Ippei or Shigeru," I said.

"I won't back down so easily, bunk buddy 'cause I'm here all day and all night. You'll end up needing me in the end sooner or later. All you need to do is ask for me."

"I don't need or want you anymore because I have a family to protect." I see Lucifer melting as he was trying hard to stand firm. "You had your chance into worming you way back into my presence, but I won't tolerate it anymore. I tell you again: leave me alone or else I will take drastic measures into my own hands."

"No, you can't do this!" I see the hallucination melting away as he became nothing but a puddle of goop on the floor that later vanished. "Sammy!..."

It was done as I felt elated from such a rush of power that I had in me. Even Ippei was astonished that I took my matters firm as I couldn't let Lucifer ruin my life anymore. I had my responsibilities as a man who that would stand tall when I still vowed to protect my family. I had to remain hopeful as I had my raw power as a weapon that had its perks, for I would be there to make sure that no one would end up getting put through harm, for it was the least I could do for now.

"So, how did you do?" asked Ippei.

"I put Lucifer in his place," I said.

"Sam, you may have mastered into stamping out the elephant in the room, but there's also a problem with a certain blackmailer that came all the way from Kaijirin."

"It's Sawney Masbath, isn't it?"

"I hate to break it to you, but you're gonna have to watch your back on this one."

"I already know about what tools he has up his sleeve and he'll stop at nothing to corner his prey like a mouse being backed down by a cat."

"Hey, I resent that," said Bobby as he entered into the room.

"You're late, Bobby," said Ippei.

"I just got done having me a mouse nightcap right about now. Anyway, I got some details about our so-called 'gentleman blackmailer.' According to what Ginryu told me, Sawney Masbath is known to put harm towards people if he didn't get his way. At the time, he wanted to marry Mary Campbell of all people before she got with John Winchester at the behest of the Rakuen Priesthood, but he had been overruled by such judgment. Even Samuel Campbell wanted him to marry, but he was met with a death threat by those people who manipulate certain bloodlines over the centuries. And another thing, Sawney Masbath is known for his explosive temper that even his own family kicked him out of his home. Now, he only makes his daily living by blackmailing those with past discretions who are deemed vulnerable and if they didn't pay him, he'll strike eventually. It's only a matter of time, but Masbath is someone that can't be taken lightly."

Bobby's warning about my new problem shook me to the core as I had to be careful where I tread. The news about Sawney Masbath unnerved me as I couldn't let my guard down. I had a feeling that I would never hear the last of him as I had to make sure that I didn't fall under the surface of what threat was coming to me...

* * *

Ginryu was busy at the main headquarters as he was looking through some paperwork in his office. It was such an exhausting day for him, but it didn't bother him that much as he was on his way towards the cafeteria for lunch. When he got there, he noticed Sawney sitting at a table next to the trashcan as he was sipping a cup of coffee and eating a powdered donut. It was bad timing to see such a nuisance like Sawney Masbath come in here just to get his fix as Ginryu was most likely to be facing him here in the main headquarters of the Order of Letters, for dealing with a blackmailer was more than just a problem at hand.

"I take it that you stuck around to see if Sam used his raw power," he said.

"I warned him not to use it," said Sawney as he finished up his coffee. "I told him not to use it anymore. Now that the damage is done, I'll collect my pay from him."

"You're not going back to Winchester Castle after what you said to Sam during Christmas. Colchuvar and Ippei told me all about it when you threatened to blackmail him by telling everyone all about the fact that Sadie Thrippe once had a crush on him."

"It's true about that because I heard it from one of the survivors of the Wendigo attack at the fort on Gehenna. If I were you, I suggest that you make the newest Elder of the Order to keep his raw power bottled up, or else I'm gonna expose that dirty little secret of his."

"I don't deal with scum like you, Masbath. Besides, Sadie's been engaged to Stuart Melchett and they are a perfect match by protecting the fort from other monsters that have a tendency to break in and attack people. As for Sam, he's got his hands full because of the fact that he's about to become a father very soon in the spring. He's even got a Cat Sidhe boy as his ward in which he's the son of Tyrone Matheson, who disappeared during a mission on Gehenna years ago. Sam's no stranger to trouble because he's even become trapped by stress at home, but there are other members of the Order who drop by and manage his things so he wouldn't fall apart."

"Oh, he'll fall apart alright. It'll only be a matter of time before he succumbs to the imprint that haunted Ippei and Shigeru."

Ginryu saw Sawney get up from his table as he left the cafeteria with a smile on his face. He wanted that nuisance from Kaijirin out of here as soon as possible when he even noticed him go outside. Sawney was someone that could never be taken lightly as he would do anything to keep his victims in check, even at the costs of their own lives. Everyone had feared him all over the planetary system as he resorted to blackmail on a daily basis. Ginryu was the only one here that stood against Sawney Masbath of all people as he even vowed to keep him out of the Order's affairs soon enough. It was the least anyone could do while going up against a blackmailer that preyed on the vulnerable...

* * *

The next day, I was back at the main headquarters as I was taking a break from the assembly meeting. When I went towards the cafeteria to get something for lunch, I noticed a familiar nuisance sitting by the trashcan. Once again, I noticed Sawney Masbath sitting there as he was sipping a cup of coffee. I was ready to ignore him as I didn't want him to get to me so easily, for I couldn't let myself get distracted by his machinations here in the main headquarters.

"Sam Winchester..., in the flesh," he said to me. "I take it that you didn't heed my warning so readily."

I was ready to leave the cafeteria as I ignored him.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! If you don't answer me, I'll tell everyone!"

"Tell everyone what? That Sadie pined for me once?" I said as I was starting to get a little testy.

"That's the sweet spot here, Sam. It's the very same _coup de grace_ that could end your career as both a member and Elder of the Order."

"I'm a married man, Masbath! I have a wife and ward to look after. As for Sadie, she's engaged to be married to Stuart Melchett in which they even vow to teach the future generations about the monsters that came from the Elder Days. The truth is, Sadie did pine for me, but it wasn't meant to be because of the fact that she sees the future at hand and she was once possessed by a demon when the Leviathan threat appeared at the fort."

"You're still pining for Sadie, Sam! Admit it! You'd be going to her instead of that pregnant wife of yours!"

"You leave Reiko out of this! I won't let you throw her under the bus like that!"

"Or else what? You gonna tattle to Ippei Mitani or Ginryu Ashizoka? No, I got you under my finger and if you even think about using your raw power again, I will expose you as a philanderer and an adulterer for cheating on your wife."

"That's enough!" yelled Sadie as she rushed into the cafeteria. "I won't stand for it anymore, Masbath! Sam's a married man with a wife and a future planned. Get over it!"

Sawney stared at Sadie as he remained unflinched at her actions against him. He didn't want to be bested by someone that stood up to him as he pulled out his gun and pointed it at Sadie directly. His plan to blackmail had failed as he was determined to shoot anyone that intervened in his affairs.

"You bitch!" he shrieked. "How dare you go against me!"

"For your information, Sam's got a wife and a future at hand and I have my own!" yelled Sadie.

"You're the other woman that Sam's got the hots for anyway!"

"That was a long time ago, but he also saved my life after I was possessed by a demon. Anyway, Stuart and I are about to be married next week and I suggest that you keep your mouth shut about it! As for Sam, he's already got Reiko and he would never leave her, even if you threaten to tear them apart and if that happened, then those monsters and radicals would end up getting their way in the end."

"You heard nothing of it, Sadie Thrippe. Do you hear me?! Nothing!"

"Castiel told me about this prophecy in which Sam and Reiko's future would soon tip the scales against any threat and that includes demons, Leviathans, and other radical scum. Now, if you don't mind, I suggest that you leave Sam alone and if he hadn't use that raw power during his return to the fort on Gehenna, I still would've been possessed by that demon by now!"

Sawney remained unflinched again as he still wanted ot blackmail me without any pity or remorse. Even though Sadie stood her ground with her true convictions while being engaged to Stuart, she had a higher power telling her that I was much better off with Reiko for the rest of my days as she had her own reasons into making sure that the good fight was soldiered on. She had the fort to look after as it was the least she could do in which she and Stuart were put in a union engagement that was at the behest of the Rakuen Priesthood. I was speechless when I heard her stand up to Sawney as she put him in his place just like I did with Lucifer. He was beaten, but not without a fight as I saw him point his gun and shot me in the left shoulder. I fell to the floor as I clutched at the wound I sustained. Sadie was shocked that Sawney remained firm as he refused to leave me alone until we both saw the authorities arrive to disarm him and throw him out of the main headquarters. Just as I was about to get into worse trouble, I saw Castiel appear as he knew of my situation directly.

He saw the wound on my shoulder as he took the bullet out of it and healed it without any problem at all. I was grateful that he arrived as he helped me up to my feet. With Sawney removed from the main headquarters, I was grateful that he wasn't there, but the damage was already done when I was reminded about not using my raw power. I just wanted to go home after that as I even wanted to stay with Reiko and remind her that I vowed not to leave her side, no matter what was thrown at me. I had a future at hand as I vowed not to let it go to waste, even if it meant going up against those who fear what I have at my disposal.

"Are you alright?" asked Sadie as she saw me being helped by Castiel towards a table.

"I'm fine, Sadie," I answered.

"Reiko's gonna be worried too much about you if you become too depressed."

"Sadie..., you have my blessing into marrying Stuart. I know for a fact that the both of you are determined to protect the fort from further harm after what you've been through. We all have a future at stake and I also know that you saw visions of what it holds, but there are times that those who would stop at nothing to harm what we have."

"Sam, we all have a stake on this. We have you to thank for because of what you do. Your raw power gave us hope when we were nearly eaten by Leviathans. You even helped the Hunter Corps twice into evading the Army of Cain. It's ironic, but-"

"Sadie, my raw power would be a curse to anyone if I went out of control."

"No, you won't," said Castiel. "Sawney Masbath's words will mean nothing to you now because your raw power is something that you were born with. And do you know what your name really means? It means 'Name of God.' You also have the strength to make sure that the future wouldn't fall under the hands of those who deem you a threat. You may have all that raw power inside you, but you can't shoulder the burden alone. There are those who view you to be a savior in times of need, for you will be the one who would change the shift in the balance of power in the planetary systems that affiliate the Order of Letters. The inner and outer planetary systems aren't the only ones that depend on you. Ginryu Ashizoka and his twin brother, Ryosuke rule the two planetary systems here, but the other planetary systems are ruled by their sister and cousin. Shion Ashizoka rules the western planetary system while Akio Ashizoka rules the eastern one. You're not alone here, for they will be there to make sure that you utilize that power you have."

I was assured by Castiel's words as I had nothing to fear. I had my future to protect as I also had a long way to go after what I've been through. I couldn't falter again as I even wanted to make sure that I had my faculties in check, both physically _and_ mentally. It was the least I could do for the time being, but I also had my work cut out for me in the long run...

* * *

Ippei was making his way to the holding units as he entered into Crowley's cell. When he got there, he saw the ousted King of Hell just simply playing video games from the Elder Days in order to pass the time when both Abaddon's forces and the Children of Azazel were put down for good. It was the least he could do as he was biding his time after being put here for the past four months.

"I take it that you're playing _Halo_ again," said Ippei.

"It takes my mind off going up against those arrogant bastards who want me dead," said Crowley.

"Sawney Masbath was here and he threatened to blackmail Sam."

"Scrawny Sawney's at it again? He's a bigger fame whore than me when it comes to threatening people with their disposable dirty laundry. As for the junkpile out there, it's starting to get a little rusty."

"The Hunter Corps ship that Colchuvar and his crew piloted nearly bit it after another encounter with the Army of Cain, Crowley. Also, Sam was the one who used his powers to bail them out before being obliterated by those scum."

"Well, good for Moose 2.0, then. As for the ones who took a posh shot at me, they're still at large into trying to kill me on the spot."

"Anyway, if I were you, I suggest that you don't associate with Masbath."

"Look here, four eyes! I've known about Masbath because he's the one who cheated me out of my wager by coming out on top here. If he ever came here, I'd do my worst on him."

"So, you've got a grudge against him, don't you?"

"Always have, always will, mate. Besides, all I want is to take out my obstacles that stand in my way and that includes Carrot Top and one of the Children of Azazel who shot me with a stolen firearm."

Without warning, Ippei and Crowley saw the door open as they noticed a strange figure in the mask enter into the cell. The figure removed his mask as Crowley was shocked to see a familiar face appear in front of him with lavender hair and a jeweled sigil on his forehead. It was also at that moment when he showed the ousted King of Hell the weapon that shot him as he placed it on the table so readily, for he never expected to meet the captive again.

"It's been a while, Crowley," he said.

"Totsuka in the flesh," he said. "You've changed since Abaddon killed you two thousand years ago and later be reborn."

"Dude, don't even go there because I'm here on business to see the newest Elder of the Order."

"Bollocks..."

**To be continued...**


	9. White Requiem

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 9: White Requiem**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It was dark on the abandoned space station as a mysterious man remained after what he experienced many months ago. Even though he was reborn, he still had the stigma of his sins pinned on him as he vowed to redeem himself in this life. It was at that moment that he was hiding from something on the space station as he saw someone dressed in white coming and going. The man was terrified as he wanted to get out of here before he, too, would be part of the tragedy that occurred here. When he arrived at the mess hall, it was in shambles as he stared out the window to see a freighter being destroyed by a force that haunted the space station. He wanted out of here, but it would be a matter of time before that ever happened, for he was most likely to be on the road to his own redemption, even if it means by avoiding the spirit that was lurking in that infernal derelict...

* * *

I was at work as I was attending the wedding of Sadie and Stuart. They were meant for one another after what they've been through as I watched them exchange their vows and kissed in front of us. I was grateful that those two would see their future through as they continued to tell me about the vision of their future in front of me. After all the nuptials and party had ended, I was ready to go towards Dr. Ichinose's office as I was ready to check up on Reiko. As usual, she was being examined through ultrasound as I noticed Dirk sitting there being stunned by the images he saw on screen. Even I was astonished to see the twins growing inside of Reiko's womb as I watched them moving around.

"These things are in Reiko's body?" asked Dirk.

"They're our babies," she answered as she saw me hold her hand.

"So, I'm gonna be a foster brother, right?"

"You're part of this family because it's a promise that I made to your late mother," I said.

"I bet that Mom's looking after us by now. As for the babies on screen, they look like Reiko, but the ears are different."

"They're Half-Elves and that only happens when a human father mates with an Elven mother."

"Look, they're active again," said Reiko as she saw the twins moving.

"Sam, are you sure that the babies are gonna be boys?" I nodded. "Awesome! I'm gonna be a big brother to them!"

We had never seen Dirk so excited before as he vowed to look after the new arrivals. I looked at Reiko as I watched her become more beautiful than ever the moment she became pregnant with the twins inside of her. I was glad to be there for her as I even vowed to make sure that no harm would come to her. It was the least I could for on my part for now. When I saw Reiko getting up, she was about to get an earful from Dr. Ichinose as I was also concerned for her health, for our twins were growing, but what could go wrong?

"So far, there are no abnormalities in the womb," said Dr. Ichinose.

"That's a relief," said Reiko as she was glad that the twins were okay.

"Even though you're reaching the point into the last three months of your pregnancy, I strongly advise you to get some bedrest if need be."

"I see..."

"Reiko...," I said as I continued to hold her hand. "You can't do too much because of what you bear, but I can't let that slide."

"Sammy..."

"I know that you can cook and all, but you should also have help from the people in our family."

"Hey, I'm family," said Dirk. "I can even cook just like you and Reiko."

I saw my ward bring up more enthusiasm as I had a feeling that he would be willing to protect Reiko from harm just like me. Still, we all had our stake into protecting what was precious as I saw my wife touching at the swollen baby bump she had. I had a lot of responsibilities to muster, but I wasn't about to do them alone, for our future was ready to be put into motion if need be...

* * *

Totsuka was still standing there in Crowley's cell as he often came there to visit him every once in a while. It had been two thousand years since they saw each other during the time of the Elder Days as they still bore grudges against one another, but now wasn't the time to argue. It had been a week since Totsuka appeared in front of Crowley as he was still showing off the gun that was found. As a _Shinigami_, he was there to remind the ousted King of Hell who was boss as he stood firm into making sure that he didn't get out of the main headquarters so lightly.

"What the hell do you want with me this time, Purple People Eater?" snarled Crowley.

"You know what this gun is, don't you?" said Totsuka.

"Yeah, it's the one that Azazel's bastard shot me with."

"I was the one who _made_ that gun when you tried to do your worst on the Winchesters after you killed Meg and Castiel went AWOL. The gun itself is modeled after a Ruger Single-Nine Single-Action revolver in which the ammo were bullets with a Devil's Trap etched into every single one."

"And one of Azazel's stinkers stole it from your private collection, didn't they?"

"And I was the one who got it back."

"Don't take those stinkers too lightly because one of them took a posh shot at me."

"Asmodeus is one of the Children of Azazel and he's always had a hand at firearms, but he still goes for the one carnal sin and that is lust."

"As I recall, you found the Colt after the Winchesters did their little _Back to the Future_ trip in which you gave it to Bobby Singer."

"I later got it back after his house got torched by Leviathans, so I suggest that you keep quiet about that affair. As for Abaddon, she's not done yet because her army of demons have been all over the place so far. There was talk that a hint of raw power saved a Hunter Corps ship from being rubbed out in time. My motives have rang true after all when I had a feeling that the newly reincarnated souls of my close friends and foes would end up going towards disaster, but I make the best of it so far."

"You haven't changed, have you, Totsuka?"

"Neither did you, Crowley. Last time I saw you, you were going to every blood bank just to get your fix in order to support your dirty habit."

"Dirty habit? I had more than just a dirty habit, but I got clean cold turkey."

"Cold turkey, huh? As I recall, you got yourself into a pickle after you got kicked off of your throne and if either side of the Demon War finds you, they'll turn your ass into shish kebabs."

"Bollocks... For starters, I'd rather be here in this prison cell than be shot up by those opposing sides and besides, there's only _one _ruler of Hell and that's _me_! As for that jewel of your forehead, you must have gotten it the moment Moose 2.0 showed up."

"Do you know where I got that sigil, Crowley? I felt it when I saw the ship blow up around me months ago. It's a miracle that I lived while I got caught, but I retrieved the same gun that Asmodeus coveted from my collection of weapons."

And so, Totsuka left the cell as he took the gun with him. As for Crowley, however, he remained in his cell as he was resuming his work into playing his video game. It was more than enough to pass the time as he was biding it well. All he had to do was to wait until he struck a chord with going up against Abaddon and the Army of Cain as well as the Children of Azazel. He had to plan his next move, but he also had to live in fear for his life as well...

* * *

I ushered Reiko and Dirk towards the train station as we were heading back to Kanto Village. I was staring at Reiko directly as she felt her baby bump bulging out even more. As a concerned husband and doting father, I was ready to usher my pregnant wife home in order to get some bedrest. Just as I was about to watch out for the train, I heard footsteps as I turned around and saw Shigeru sprinting towards us before leaving back to Kanto Village. He was holding a tablet in his hand as he wanted to show me something that would pique my interest soon enough.

"Check it out, Sam," he said. "Here's something that you could report in your records." He shows me the image on his tablet. "'Space freighter from Orianthis ransacked; victims dead.' Does it scream Elder Days to you?"

"What's going on, Shigeru?" I asked.

"There's something else that appeared on the report that Kevin and I hacked into." Shigeru tapped the screen on his tablet as we heard an eerie voice on the recording.

"I can never go home again...," said the eerie voice.

"You hear that? That's the sign of ESP and EMF all over the place."

"And the Orianthan freighter?" I asked.

"It's been obliterated into debris, but according to the other forces flying throughout the vast regions of space, there's an abandoned space station near Saluvan. Still, the freighter isn't the only thing that got blown to bits. There were other ships that met the same fate in which one survivor saw something in the form of a person dressed up in white."

"_La Llorona_..."

It was the first thing that I thought of as I had a feeling that there was a Woman in White haunting many in the vast reaches in space. I wanted to find out more as I was ready to search for clues and go towards the abandoned space station near Saluvan. Still, I was about to go on a mission as I was about to go with Shigeru in order to solve the case about what was happening beyond our borders. When I stared at Reiko and Dirk, I had a feeling that I would end up leaving without saying goodbye, but I was assured at the last minute as I saw my wife fish out the journal she got me for Christmas along with a pen to write about my report.

"Take it," she said as she placed the journal and pen in my hands. "Oh, Sammy, please be safe." I saw her hugging me as I hugged back. "Be careful..."

"Don't worry, my darling," I said. "I'll be safe for the time being."

"Stay safe, Sam," said Dirk.

"I will, but you need to do as Reiko tells you, alright. Also, you need to stay in school if you want to become a member of the Order."

"I'll do that."

And so, we left as Reiko and Dirk assured us that we would be fine. We were on a mission as we were about to find out the mystery about the incident in the old space station soon enough. It was a case that piqued our interest after all as it was something that was about to be solved and put to rest, for this one was eerie to the knees. Just as Reiko and Dirk were about to leave for home, they were stopped by security as they couldn't get back to Kanto Village right now. There was a damper in the plan to return home as they saw Sadie and Stuart standing in front of them in which there was concern in the air.

"You know that you can't leave the main headquarters right now," said Stuart.

"But Sam could be waiting for us there in Kanto Village after that," said Dirk.

"According to Ginryu, there had been an influx of ships that bear the Mark of Cain on them," said Sadie.

"Oh, no...," said Reiko as she was concerned for me.

"Reiko, I know that you and Dirk would want to go home back to Kanto Village, but it's best that you stay put until Sam comes back. You can't go alone right now because of the dire warnings coming from those who want to eliminate the future we have. As for Sam, he's most likely to be learning from the field after this experience in space, but he's also someone that could even become Master of the Order. It's ironic that I berated him over the years, but he's starting to become the man he truly is."

"Let's hope that Sam stays true to his path and put the Army of Cain in its place," said Stuart. "It's the least we can go for after the lowly servant stood tall and helped end the Leviathan threat on Gehenna."

"Still, no one's shirking any more responsibilities again and that's the truth. We all have a stake on this and we can't let those radical forces choke the future."

Reiko and Dirk were stunned to hear something coming from Sadie and Stuart as they were most likely to be offering their support to our fight against the very threat that was now a scourge in space. The Army of Cain was a threat to all as it also had to be stopped sooner or later...

* * *

Shigeru and I were in an Alecrian ship as we were off into space. We were ready to find out more about the mystery about what we were dealing with as we left Alecrast directly. It was at that moment that we were going into the locker room as we saw some spacesuits and inner suits hanging up. The aspect about us going towards an abandoned space station to find out more about what was going on had made me think about the entry in the journal I found before I was banished on the fort on Gehenna several months ago. It was then that I read about the Woman in White theory as it was a tale of insanity. After reading about months ago, I was determined to find out more when I was ready to take heed and go towards the abandoned space station to unravel what was going on in there.

"These spacesuits are state of the art," said Shigeru as he got out one of the inner suits that were hanging up. "It's ironic that these things are put here for astronauts, but for _us_, we're gonna have to wing it for the time being."

"According to the manual I read in the cockpit, the inner suits have a built-in catheter in there because while we're out in space, there's no toilet," I said. "It's also said that the humanoid body is fifty percent water in which the inner suit we wear has the ability to filter our urine and sweat in order to make it pure and drinkable during space travel."

"That's just sick..."

"As for our fecal matter, it's stored in the thigh packs in which it is collected for energy after we strip down from our suits. In a certain ironic sense, it's like wearing a diaper while walking out in space."

"Back in the Elder Days, astronauts wore diapers while going out in space, but as for _these_ babies, they're sure to please."

"These inner suits provide a catheter just to assure us that we have to soil ourselves, but the rest of the way proves to be more subtle than normal."

"Thank you, space technology..."

"We have to suit up."

"I agree..."

And so, we stripped off our clothes as we got into our inner suits. By the time we zipped up, we felt the catheter snake into where it needed to go as we had no worries due to the fact that this mission didn't have any bathroom breaks whatsoever. We were going towards further territory as we later dressed up in spacesuits in order to do our job. When the ship we were in went inside of the abandoned space station. The place was a derelict as we came out of our ship and decided to investigate the matter at hand. When we went towards the main deck of the station, we noticed it to be in disarray as there were many books and dishes being strewn all over the place. Even the equipment was in disarray as we saw the control system jammed. I had a feeling that whoever inhabited this space station had been insane as I was searching through the books in which I found a picture of a woman.

"What's this?" asked Shigeru as he saw me holding the picture in my hand.

"I have no idea, but this woman could be a clue into what really happened here," I said.

"As for the ghost problem...," Shigeru gets out a shotgun with rock salt rounds as he cocked it. "...There's always _these_."

"We should be careful here. There's no telling when or where this phenomenon would strike next."

And so, we both remained firm as we were about to find out more of what went on here in this abandoned space station. The truth about the Woman in White was most likely to be revealed as Shigeru and I were ready to find out more on what really happened in this place. When we continued to search for clues here, we heard an eerie voice coming through the intercom as it was something that we never heard before.

"I can never go home again," it said as we had our weapons at the ready.

It wasn't the first time that something like this would happen as I had a feeling that the Woman in White theory would end up becoming fact. Even Shigeru was concerned as he later saw a monitor screen turn on complete with static. We were seeing the white noise as it later turned off in a split second. The space station was haunted as we had to maintain our composures here in order to flush out the spirit soon enough...

* * *

Ginryu was at his office as he was busy at work. He had his free time, but he was also concerned about the mess that the Demon War caused since Crowley was ousted from power as the King of Hell. Report after report, he got wind of the infamous Army of Cain being led by Abaddon and Hideyono as they were wreaking havoc from many planets that fear the worst so far. After all this, Ginryu was ready to go towards the holding cells in order to have a bone to pick with Crowley, but his intentions were cut short at the last minute. When he saw Dean burst into his office, he was concerned as he wanted to see me directly.

"Where's Sam?" he asked.

"He went on a mission with Shigeru towards Saluvan," said Ginryu.

"There's been trouble with the Army of Cain just now."

"I've been getting reports about it from other members of the Order, but we can't sit by and let them get their way in the end."

"You better watch out for the Army of Cain. They're dangerous and I've almost got my ass nailed twice by those sons-of-bitches. As fof Sam, he's got that raw power that everyone fears and that includes demons."

"There's also someone else with a jeweled sigil here when he got back from seeing Crowley."

Dean turned around as he saw Totsuka enter into Ginryu's office. It was fate that brought them together again as this was the fourth time that Dean saw the weaponmaker in person. Still, he owed Totsuka for the favors on Zassel and Atreides as he wanted to repay the favor, for it was the least he could do for now.

"Dude, you need to lay off the cheeseburgers," said Totsuka.

"You still have your sense of humor, don't you?" said Ginryu.

"After dealing with Crowley, he's still in the cell fearing for his life after what the Children of Azazel did to him. Hell, one of them shot him with one of my guns I had to get back."

"So, these Children of Azazel are in it to get the upper hand towards Hell's throne, aren't they?" said Dean. "Well Crowley's stuck in the foxhole for now."

"And in the foxhole he'll stay until it blows over."

"Still, if the ousted King of Hell's out and about, Abaddon's forces and the Children of Azazel will nail him," said Ginryu. "All he's doing in there in the cell is biding his time until he comes out smelling like a rose when the Demon War comes to a close."

"I bet that those pantywaist sons-of-bitches are plotting to get rid of him just like they're trying to do with Sam," said Dean. "All the same, our past lives suck. My own turned into a demon when he got the Mark of Cain and the First Blade. Two thousand years later, that Elven asshat, Hideyono Kuronaga, has it and he's partnered with Abaddon just to silence Sam and Reiko along with the raw power that's at their disposal. I'm not gonna back down this time 'cause I will protect Sam and Reiko. I even sent a message to Colchuvar to dispatch Kevin in order to protect him from the Army of Cain. This can't slide after what happened because I won't let it."

Dean made his point clear as he wanted to make sure that I was safe from harm while doing my job as a member of the Order. He vowed to protect me as I was too valuable due to the raw power that I had within me. The affairs of what was going on became more intense as the threat from the Army of Cain had gotten much worse. Still, it was a job for the Order of Letters to keep the peace and stop this threat from terrorizing the further planetary systems that were affiliated with it...

* * *

The mess hall was in shambles as the mysterious man from earlier remained hidden from what he saw here. Even though he was reborn, the angel known as Gadreel, was still in penance for what he did in the Elder Days. In the past, he killed a prophet under Metatron's orders as he wanted to find his future life and redeem himself for his past sins. He was even wanting forgiveness from me as he saw me on the surveillance screens scoping out the clues into what happened here in this derelict of a space station. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he wanted to just gain more penance for his part into slaughtering the angels that held him prisoner for centuries, no thanks to Metatron.

"Why am I put through such torture like this?" he sobbed. "Why...?"

Gadreel got up as he was on his feet. Even though there was hardly any oxygen left here, he was an angel that was being put through the ringer as he was dressed up in hospital clothes. When he left the mess hall, he saw a woman with brown hair as she was dressed up in a Medical Corps uniform. She was a woman that died long ago as she felt care-worn while suffering from insanity after her death. Gadreel wanted to get away from her as she was a Woman in White that caused trouble here and beyond this place. He had to tell someone as he went into the monitoring room. It was a place with screens on it as he saw us on one of them just looking for clues into what really happened on this space station. Just as he was about to call us over the intercom, he saw the Woman in White standing in front of him as she was wanting him to do what was done best.

"Take me home," she said.

"Never," said Gadreel in a shaky voice. "You are evil! You killed your crew and your daughter the moment you lost yourself!"

"You have past sins in you." The Woman in White inches closer as she was feeling at Gadreel. "I can be a little dirty just like _you_."

"Go away!"

Gadreel felt the woman's slender hand reach under his hospital gown as she bent down and was ready to give him something that he didn't want. Just as he was about to drown in pleasure, he heard footsteps coming as the Woman in White disappeared. He was relieved that he didn't get violated as he saw us come into the surveillance room. He saw me directly as he had a feeling that he would end up suffering from some wrath as he was starting to shake. He knew me personally as he wanted to beg for forgiveness in which he caused trouble in the Elder Days, for his penance was more than enough to bear in the past two thousand years.

"Hey, this place doesn't have any oxygen here," said Shigeru.

"I'm an angel and I was used to this place," answered Gadreel.

"What happened to the crew?" I asked.

"I know who you are... You're Sam Winchester, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"I want forgiveness for my actions against your past life and the prophet I killed."

"Guys, are you there?" asked Kevin over the intercom.

"Kevin?" said Shigeru. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"My main responsibility is to protect Sam, jackass, and if I didn't live up to my duties, Master Colchuvar would kick my ass!"

Gadreel saw the image of Kevin on screen as he was reminded of the past sin he committed while possessing my past life. He was shaking as he was about to go into shock. I came to his aid as I sensed that his body was about to lose oxygen altogether if I didn't get him out of here eventually. It was also at that moment that I used my raw power to shield him from the oxygen deprivation as he was staring at me with both guilt and concern. He was assured of what happened to him as we saw him buckling his knees. I had a feeling that he was overwhelmed by guilt as he wanted forgiveness from me and Kevin directly, for it would put him at ease for what he did back then.

"There's nothing to fear, sir," I said.

"I did you and your friend wrong and now I'm paying for it," said Gadreel.

"Sir, as soon as we get you out of here, we'll get you to the sickbay," said Shigeru.

"My name is Gadreel and I have been reborn to relive my sins from the Elder Days."

"What sins?" I asked.

"I.. I possessed your past life and killed the prophet's past self. I can't take it anymore."

"Hang on there," said Shigeru. "Our ship's in the hangar with a sickbay. You'll be safe in there."

We saw Kevin sprint into the surveillance room where we were as he had a disc in his hand while wearing a spacesuit. It was something that was found on the floor as we saw him put it into the computer drive. One of the screens showed the Woman in White in happier times as she was dressed in a cocktail gown while celebrating the New Year. I had never seen her like that before until Gadreel noticed her directly. He wanted to get out of this derelict as it was no place for an angel that was reborn two thousand years ago.

"That's _her_," he said.

"And she has a name," said Kevin.

"You hacked into the system, didn't you?" I said.

"Her name's Connie Maitland from the Medical Corps and this video was taken five years ago."

"So, we have our Woman in White after all," said Shigeru.

"I saw her commit those deaths," said Gadreel as he was shaking with both fear and guilt. "I even saw her kill her own daughter."

Daughter? The words from Gadreel's mouth struck a nerve as I was remembering something that I read up on before I was banished from the fort on Gehenna. I was dealing with a Woman in White as it was the pure embodiment of mothers who kill their own children after seeing their husbands be unfaithful towards them. There was also a case from the Elder Days as I looked up at the urban legend in which the Woman in White was something that could never be taken lightly.

"Sam, remember what you said earlier?" said Shigeru. "You said the word, '_La Llorona_,' before we took off out of Alecrast. Does it ring a bell?"

"It means 'weeping woman' in Spanish," I said. "Also, we're dealing with a Woman in White in which she killed her family and crew here on this space station."

"Woman in White?" said Kevin out of curiosity.

"It's an old phenomenon that occurs when a woman kills out of insanity when her husband is unfaithful to her. After that, she ends up killing herself."

"There's one question in mind: where's the rest of the crew that died?" asked Shigeru.

"Their bodies were found floating in space in which they were carted back to Saluvan for burial," said Gadreel. "It's all I know, but the woman's spirit still clings to this place."

Without warning, I was flung away from the surveillance room as if I was being towed by something. I felt a force grabbing me as it led me towards a sickbay that hadn't been used in years. It was hell in there as I saw blood on the walls. There was death here as I noticed the haunted traces of it. I was put in here against my will as I saw the Woman in White standing in front of me. Her presence unnerved me as I felt my heart pounding at an alarming rate.

"Take me home," she said.

"No," I said in defiance.

"Take me home!"

I felt the Woman in White's hands feeling at my spacesuit as I wanted to get free of her. I had to remain calm as I had to formulate an idea fast. It was also at that moment that my raw power came into play as I broke free from the Woman in White and fled the sickbay. I was sprinting for my life as I came across some living quarters in which one of the doors were jammed open. When I went inside, I saw a room that was empty as I even went towards the bathroom. I saw something sinister in there as there was traces of ghost matter in the water in which it turned black in the bathtub. It was something that was there as the death of the crew was all over the place. When I was about to leave the bathroom, I saw the Woman in White standing in front of me again. She was ready to wreak her vengeance on me as she was ready to do her worst.

"You got away," she said. "That's not very nice."

"You killed your family and your crew," I said. "I can also find that your husband cheated on you in which you killed your daughter for it for being unfaithful."

"You're next..."

"You can't kill me yet. I'm not unfaithful and I'll always be faithful to the one I'm married to."

"Oh, but you _will_ be..."

I felt the icy breath of the Woman in White fogging the helmet of my spacesuit as I was struggling to get free. When I heard footsteps sprinting, the ghost disappeared briefly as I saw a bag of epsom salts near the bathtub. I was armed as any form of salt would do to keep any ghost and demon away. To my shock, I saw the ghost appear again as I opened up the bag and grabbed a handful of epsom salts and threw them at her. With the sting of the salt affecting her, she was ready to do her worse until she saw someone standing next to the bathtub. I saw the image of her daughter standing as she was soaked from the water. The Woman in White was terrified of what she saw as she wanted to flee from what she did, for it was her greatest sin that she committed here in this abandoned derelict.

"You've come home to me, Mommy," said the girl.

The Woman in White was slowly sinking into the floor as she became a pile of watery goop. It was something that I exposed as the ghost was drawn to her weakness in this old space station. The ghost hunt was over as I left the bathroom and was ready to meet up with Shigeru and the others. When I saw them in the corridor, they were concerned as I was exhausted from using my powers and stopping the Woman in White altogether. I wanted to get back to the ship as I was also ready to be with Reiko once again, for she was waiting for me to get home.

"Looks like you found a weakness for what was left of the Woman in White," said Shigeru.

"Our job's done here," I said.

"I guess that you're itching to get home," said Kevin.

"We already stopped a ghost here."

"You killed the Woman in White?" asked Gadreel.

"Her weakness was in her own quarters in which she killed her daughter along with the rest of her family and crew. Sometimes, we have to expose the weakness of the dead or else they would end up doing worse."

"Um, guys," said Kevin as he saw a ship from out the window. "We've got a problem."

I went towards the window as I saw the ship directly. It was another ship that had the Mark of Cain emblazoned on it as I had a feeling that our trip home wouldn't be easy. It was something that I didn't expect as I had to get Shigeru, Kevin, and Gadreel out of harm's way before anything else happened. When I saw the ship get closer, I had a feeling that it would go after me of all people due to the raw power that I had in me. Just as we were about to meet our end, we noticed that the ship had turned around as if it hadn't seen us on the sly. It wasn't the first time that we crossed paths with the Army of Cain as I had a feeling that it wasn't easy to stay here much longer.

"What just happened?" asked Kevin.

"That ship was from the Army of Cain, but it turned around as if we weren't there," I said.

"Army of Cain?" asked Gadreel.

"They're a demonic force that are loyal to Abaddon and Hideyono," said Shigeru. "They terrorize the galaxy while staking their claim into dominating the cosmos. They're also the worst force that ever flew across the gateways of space."

"We have to go quietly," I said. "As soon as we get to our ship, we'll get to a warp point and go back to Alecrast as planned, but we also have to be careful due to what's been going on here."

I led Shigeru and the others towards the hangar as we got into the ship. When we left the space station, we were relieved that we didn't get killed as I sat down and removed my helmet from my spacesuit. The oxygen supply in the ship was intact as I was staring at the journal that Reiko got for me. Sitting down, I had a pen in my hand as I was ready to write my first entry into what I saw on that derelict. With Shigeru and Kevin piloting the ship, they turned on the cloaking device of it as we were getting back to Alecrast without attracting the attention from the Army of Cain. We were going home. We were ready to get back to our daily lives. It was the least we can do for the time being as we stopped a Woman in White in that abandoned derelict...

* * *

Ippei was on his way towards the holding cells once again as he was most likely to be visiting Crowley again. This time, he spotted him just staring at a basket of muffins that were baked earlier as he was simply just staring at them with tears in his eyes. Even though the prisoner was a Crossroads demon, he couldn't veer away from what he saw as if he was being made to stare at those muffins that were calling to him. When Ippei saw him grab one, he tasted it as he still felt the love of what was baked in it.

"You look as if you've been hopped up on estrogen," he said.

"I can't help it," said Crowley as he wiped away the tears with his coat. "The muffins are more than enough to make a grown man cry."

"Reiko made them despite the fact that she's not supposed to be up on her feet right now."

"She's still carrying that load in her belly? I bet that she's waiting for Moose 2.0 to get back, isn't she?"

"Speaking of Sam, he's been fiercely loyal to my granddaughter despite the fact that Sawney Masbath tried to blackmail him."

"Scrawny Sawney's no stranger to pulling crap deals under my nose, but I have a feeling that he'll still pounce on Moose 2.0 soon enough."

"And if that happens, he'll meet more than just threats and brute force despite the fact that his family kicked him out for trying to disrupt the union between John Winchester and Mary Campbell all those years ago."

Ippei continued to stare at Crowley as he showed contempt towards Sawney Masbath of all people. It was a minor inconvenience on the former King of Hell's part, but there would be a time when he'll meet the blackmailer face-to-face if not careful soon...

* * *

I was in the Alecrian ship's cockpit as I was busy writing my journal entry in the book that Reiko got for me. With every detail, I was writing on how I was being thrusted through hell as I faced the Woman in White where she was vulnerable. I wanted to tell Reiko everything about my experience as I even felt the need of seeing her once again. It was the least I could do as I was starting to become homesick for what I felt for her and the twins she was carrying. It wasn't long until Gadreel came into the cockpit as he was curious about what I was writing, for he once shared space with my past life before.

"I take it that you're writing about your experience with the Woman in White," he said.

"After what I saw, it would be something that I would record the same way in which it was recorded back in the Elder Days," I said.

"And you start your entry with 'Dearest Reiko,' don't you?"

"You shouldn't pry into other people's private thoughts. It's bad karma."

"This Reiko..."

"She's my wife and the mother of my children. In the spring, my twin sons will be born, but for now, they're still in the womb."

"I already know about what would happen to you and your family if Abaddon and her forces come after you."

"She and her 'merry band' of demons and radicals aren't the only ones that are after us. There's also the Children of Azazel that worry me when one of them shot Crowley."

"I've seen him before, but-"

"Crowley's in prison after being ousted from power, but he still wants to regain his position as the King of Hell. It would only be a matter of time before he makes his move while biding his time."

"Not exactly... Totsuka had visited Crowley and he has experienced a lot more than just being a prisoner in one of the holding cells in the main headquarters of the Order of Letters."

"What's going on with him, exactly?"

"Your wife's aura that was mixed with the raw power you have had caused him to simply back down."

"She does have a kind heart after all."

And I was right about that one as I wanted to return to Alecrast and see Reiko once again. It was the least I could do as I finished up my journal entry in the book that she gave to me. I would soon see her as I couldn't wait to tell her about what I saw on that derelict space station, for it was my first entry that I wrote as a member of the Order of Letters. Even though the trip in space was going smoothly, I got up as I saw a ship standing in our way. It was yet another Army of Cain ship as it was ready to go after us while going home to Alecrast. Shigeru and Kevin were aware of what they saw as they had to get the ship out of range before we were all obliterated in the blast.

"And yet, there's another Army of Cain ship here just to spot us," said Shigeru.

"Army of Cain?" said Gadreel out of curiosity.

"They're Abaddon's grunts and they don't fall quietly."

"Shigeru, there's a message on screen," said Kevin as he saw it directly. "'Surrender Sam Winchester before anything else happens?' They mean business, but-"

_BOOM!_

We heard a sound from a distance as I saw the Army of Cain ship blow up into pieces. It was at that moment that I saw an Orianthan ship emerge from its cloak as I had a feeling that our help came in the form of familiar company. When we all saw the image of the Orianthan crew on screen, I saw a familiar face sitting in the captain's chair as he was glad to see me once again.

"Greetings, Terran Sam," he said. "It's been a while since our encounter with a ghost on my homeworld."

"Kritha...," I said as I smiled. "I take it that you're far away from home."

"The Army of Cain have been terrorizing the galaxy with their wrathful ships in which they will stop at nothing to intimidate anyone who harbors you."

"It's not just that. I have married an Elven wife and expecting our first children together."

"May the gods of my homeworld bless you even more, for you would make a proud papa. In the meantime, there's a summit in the Alecrian town of Kabizashi. We hope to meet again soon..."

"Good luck..."

I saw the screen switch to space as I saw the Orianthan ship leave for the same location we were. It was a godsend that I had help as I wanted to tell Reiko all about it the moment I get home to see her once again...

* * *

Reiko was back in the lodging area as she was resting in her room. Even though she was barred from doing anything else, she stood there as she was feeling at the baby bump she had. She felt the twins moving as she wanted to tell me all about it, for she missed me terribly. By the time it was noon, she heard the sound of a ship approaching as she slowly got up and hobbled towards the window. It was the same Alecrian ship that took off as it landed right on time. It wasn't long until she saw me and the others come out safe as we had Gadreel in tow. We were there as we were most likely to be coming into the main headquarters soon enough.

Reiko was glad that I was safe as she left the lodging area and went outside to where the ship was. She saw me with the journal in my hands as she had a feeling that I would write in it, for I was ready to keep something like that on my person as I sprinted towards her and hugged her closely. I also wanted to tell her about the extra help I got as I couldn't let go of her after being away for so long.

"Oh, Sammy...," said Reiko. "I missed you..."

"I missed you, too," I said.

"Thank goodness..."

"I know... By the way, I wrote in my journal about what I saw, but it would take years for our children to see it."

I saw Reiko smile at me as she was grateful that I wasn't hurt. Little did I know was that Totsuka was watching in the distance as he was glad that I was fine in one piece, for he also had to stake his claim into protecting me and Reiko from those who would harm us...

**To be continued...**


	10. A Matter Between Brothers

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 10: A Matter Between Brothers**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It had been a week since I dealt with the Woman in White as I was back at home once again. After seeing Sadie and Stuart depart for Gehenna after their wedding, I was ready to be here as I wanted to make sure that Reiko was safe from harm's way. In two weeks was the summit in Kabizashi as I was most likely to be discussing my near brush with the Army of Cain. That skirmish against this unholy threat was more than just a headache for some of us, but for the Hunter Corps, they had to keep on their toes about the whole incident as it didn't go away lightly.

The workload in my office was lighter this time as I didn't have any more invitations and free coupons piling up in my junk box, for I was most likely to be attending another social gathering from Jun, who wanted me and Reiko to come along to her chocolate party. It was also at that moment that I saw Dean sitting there in front of my desk as he was determined to make sure that I was protected. The ongoing threat with the Army of Cain was a wake-up call that was now answered as I saw my brother just sitting there trying to follow me around, for I didn't want him to do too much.

"You know, you don't have to follow me there to Jun's place," I said.

"After hearing it from the horse's mouth, I'm not gonna let you out of my sight," said Dean sternly.

"Did Ginryu tell you about this?"

"No, Sam; Sadie and Stuart were keeping tabs on the Army of Cain ever since we stopped that Leviathan threat on Gehenna four months ago. I'm not gonna let you fall victim to those asshats and that's a fact."

"Dean, I can't let you hover over me right now because-"

"Stop right there. Magda and I are ready and willing to keep your ass in check whether you like it or not. Even Reiko's concerned after what you went through while getting back here to Alecrast. So, are you willing to keep me with you or do I have to dispatch Kevin here?"

I sighed as I reluctantly agreed to accepting Dean's proposal to guard me and Reiko at all times. Still, I didn't want him doing too much as I was most likely to be put under a strained watch due to the recent skirmish with the Army of Cain so far, for the threat couldn't be ignored, regardless of the matter at hand...

* * *

**Two Thousand Years Into the Past...**

Sam was on the mend after going through the worst sleep deprivation through Lucifer's torment as he was in bed asleep. When he woke up, he found himself elated that the proverbial elephant in the room was gone, but all of that misery had been transferred into Castiel as he began to feel guilty about leaving him there in the psychiatric ward with Meg as the new nurse on call. After being cleaned and dressed in nightclothes, he was looking at his surroundings very carefully as he noticed that he wasn't in the same place as before. He was safe in a clean room as he was sleeping in a warm bed that didn't smell like rotting dead. It was a slug roe home that he was in as he was grateful that he wasn't in the psych ward anymore. The place itself also proved to be useful as he got up out of bed went towards the window. He was seeing life radiating from outside as he saw the ocean meeting the Columbia River. He was in Astoria, Oregon, as the slug roe home he and Dean were staying at became a fortress that shielded them from the menacing Dick Roman, who killed Bobby in the process. By the time he heard the door to his room open up, he saw Samehada enter as he brought some fresh produce and such in order to make some stir-fry for dinner. He wasn't the only one who lost someone close as the _Shinigami_ with the bags of fresh meat and vegetables lost Otoka to those infernal monsters who would stop at nothing to turn humanity into their personal all-you-can-eat buffet at any moment.

"So, how are you feeling?" asked Samehada.

"I feel better, but I should've never left Cass back in there in that psych ward," said Sam.

"Dude, he transferred all that torment from Lucifer out of you and you say that you feel guilty? Lighten up, will you? You need to be happy that you got some sleep for once, and besides, Dean wanted you to get it after what you've been through."

"Perhaps I should've stayed awake a little longer..."

"Hey, what would Cass say if he saw you like that? He would smite you if you felt guilty and if the next time you see him again, you should thank him for getting out that excess baggage out of you, okay?"

"Do any of our friends approve of Meg taking care of him?"

"Totsuka was against it, but after getting a pep talk from Beverly and the others we have here in our merry band of Bottom Feeder killers, he let it slide and got back to purchasing more Power Clean just to nail those bastards."

Sam sighed as he was fighting off the excess sleep that he had while Samehada left the room with the groceries in his hand. It had been three days since he left the psychiatric ward as he got some sleep while on the road with Dean. It was also the most therapeutic thing he ever had as he was starting to yawn and yearn for more sleep in order to keep him functional against the ongoing Leviathan threat. Even though he went without it during his days of Lucifer's torment, he was wanting to stay awake until he noticed Dean coming into the room with concern. He wanted to check on his younger brother as he saw him yawning and trying to stay awake. When he steered him back into bed, he covered him up with the blankets on it as he was determined to keep him sleeping in order to function on the next hunt at hand.

"Dean, you don't have to do this to me," said Sam as he was yawning.

"Sorry, but it's for your own good," he answered.

"Sam, you have went through the ringer after you suffered from Lucifer's torment, okay? Now, if I were you, I suggest that you get some more rest."

"How can I if I keep thinking about what happened back there at the hospital where Cass is being held? It's gonna haunt me, no matter what I do."

"No it's not." Dean felt Sam's forehead as it was burning up. "Son-of-a-bitch... Sammy, you're coming down with something."

"I told you I'm fine."

"That's bull, Sam. You're hot, so I suggest that you stay put in bed until you heal."

"I can't let all of this slide, you know."

"Hey, you're not in the psych ward anymore. You're in a slug roe home recovering from one of the worst case of sleep deprivation and you're itching to get up? It's not gonna happen, Sammy. You're even starting to get a little sick at the gills because of what Lucifer did to you. Now, if you don't mind, I suggest that you sit tight while I take your temperature."

It was at that moment when Dean grabbed the thermometer from the nightstand as he shoved it into Sam's mouth. He was aware that his younger brother wasn't doing too well after suffering from a bad case of insomnia in which it was fueled by the hallucinations he was suffered due to the torment that came from Lucifer. By the time the thermometer beeped, Dean took it out as he saw the alarming news on it. Sam had a temperature of 102.2 as he was suffering from a fever instead of another bout of Lucifer's obnoxiousness, for he had to get more rest if he wanted to survive the onslaught from the Leviathan threat. He felt tears coming down his hot cheeks as he was glad to see his older brother instead of the fiend that tormented him for days, for it was the best thing that he wanted right now.

"It's official, Sam; you're staying in bed," said Dean as he wiped away the tears from his brother's face. "It's ironic that you turn on the water works, but you should be happy that you're not in the nut farm for the rest of your life."

"Dean, I'm not sick," he said as he was trying hard to stay awake.

"If you're not sick, then how come you're coming down with a high fever?"

"Maybe it's just a side effect..."

"Wrong; all those days of Lucifer depriving you of sleep have caused your immune system to hit the frappe button. It's not a joke, Sam. I'm much concerned for your health after what you suffered from over the past few days and it's not just after seeing Frank Devereaux's trailer being ransacked after our last hunt. You need to get better, so I suggest that you get some more sleep, are we good?"

"Dean, I took a long nap while we were driving in one of Totsuka's skeleton cars he gave us, but-"

"Hey, what did I just tell you? You need all that extra sleep after what you've been through, so I suggest that you get as much as you need to, alright?"

Sam reluctantly agreed as he closed his eyes and fell asleep once again. He needed the extra sleep as it was something that had to be done after what he suffered from. It was the least he could do as he drifted off into dreamland without any difficulty at all. It was also the best advice that he could get as it was helping him recover from the worst case of insomnia that he had in him, for he needed to rest up before doing anything at present...

* * *

Later on in the evening, Sam was shaking from fever as he was having another nightmare about Lucifer tormenting him. He was up as he was shaking to the core. When he got out of bed, he wanted to be up and about as he later saw Dean enter his room with a tray of food in his hands. The smell of stir-fry filled his nostrils as he decided to go back to bed in which his older brother gave him the tray of food in order to eat some to get his strength back from all that torture in that psychiatric ward he stayed in a few days ago. It wasn't long until Totsuka came in as he was concerned for Sam's health and well-being in which he was suffering from the nightmares that came after having all that torture being taken away from his mind.

"I take it that you had another nightmare," said Dean.

"I can't shake the fact that I still have them even after Cass shifted the torment onto himself for penance," said Sam.

"Well, I did all the cooking, but Samehada got started on the salad," said Totsuka.

"I still have those nightmares, but the guilt of leaving Cass at the hands of Meg-"

"Dude, I'm not fond of Meg myself, but she's got a part to play just like the rest of us in order to put a certain Dick in his place."

"You mean Dick Roman?"

"Yeah, we all mean Dick friggin' Roman," said Dean. "He's the asshat that killed Bobby and is making a move into making all of us into one big Turducken Slammer if we don't stop him."

"Well, earlier, I heard Samehada bitching about how those Bottom Feeders are tainting the processed food, including burgers and pie, but at least we make the best of it with all the fresh produce and stuff from Otoka's safe house at our disposal," said Totsuka.

"C'mon, what's gonna happen all to the burgers and pie?"

"If those Leviathans are poised into tainting the classic diner food, then we'll do what we can to put a damper on those ass-clowns before all of us get eaten," said Sam.

"Hey, _Girl, Interrupted_, you can ponder about grabbing a little Dick later, but first, you need to heal." Sam sighs heavily as he was staring at Dean directly with those soulful eyes of his. "I know that you feel guilty about leaving Cass with Meg, but at least you don't have the elephant in the room anymore. You should laugh at yourself a little, alright? You should be full of life right now. Also, you should be resting more after what you went through. You can't let all this guilt build up or else you'd be back in the same boat, so I suggest that you eat something right now."

And that point was made as Sam was eating his food that didn't turn into maggots this time. He missed the fresh produce in so long as he was devouring the stir-fry complete with all the chicken, vegetables, and spices mixed in there along with the rice. He was happy that he ate the food as he didn't worry about a thing, for he was staring at Dean and Totsuka who made sure that he would get better in order to get rid of the Leviathan threat that was waiting in the wings. He was happy that he was resting as he was surrounded by those who cared about him the most, for they would be there for him when he was on the mend...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present...**

I was getting dressed as I was about to go to Jun's house for the chocolate party as planned. I was fully dressed in winter garb as I saw the snow falling from outside. Just as I was about to check up on Reiko, I noticed Colchuvar coming into my office as he was about to cut my invitation to Jun's chocolate party short. He meant business as he had a job for the both of us right now, for he was on top of things more than any other member of the Order. I wasn't in the mood for accepting something from him off the bat, but I had to hear him out first before anything.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You know what's going on, Sam," said Colchuvar sternly.

"If you're wanting me to go with you off into space, count me out of it because I have to go to Jun's house for a-"

"You'll do no such thing, Sam! Right now, my group's been put on babysitting duty in order to escort the Order of Letters delegation towards Earendil. Still, we can't get clearance without bringing an Elder with us."

"Sorry, but I can't do that. Also, I have been invited to Jun's house for a chocolate party and if I turn it down, my tenure as an Elder will be revoked and my membership of the Order will be terminated. Do you want that on your heads?"

"As usual, we're _not_ taking no for an answer and we don't really care, either. Jun can find another day to host that frivolous crap some other time, but right now, you're the only Elder we can think of."

"What about Ippei? He's more than willing to go with you."

"Ippei's in the Southern Stride right now. As of today, you're the only Elder here that we can take along, so I suggest that you grow a pair! And for the record, Jun Kanzaki's coming along with the delegation as well."

I was delivered the ultimatum from Colchuvar as I got up from my desk and left my office. With Dean following me to my room, I was ready to pack up as I was about to go off with the Hunter Corps on an escort mission. With the essentials packed in along with my journal and a set of pens, I was ready to go as I had no say in the matter at hand. I never wanted to agree on it, but I had no other choice in what was going on as I had a duty to attend the matters that concern me the most.

"I didn't want to agree on this from the get-go," I said as I was feeling annoyed.

"Hey, if we're called to protect the delegation, we have to answer," said Dean.

"What about Reiko? She'll be disappointed when she sees me leaving again."

"Magda's with her and recently, I got an earful in not spending quality time with you in a while."

"Is that what she told you?"

"Yes."

"Then, so be it... Anyway, if we're gonna be on this escort mission, then we're gonna have to do more than just protect the delegation."

"That's something for us to get into."

"Dean, why are you including me into this mess?"

"'Cause I'm an awesome brother."

We left my room as we were on our way downstairs. It was also at that moment that we saw several picnic baskets full of food to carry on our trip as we were leaving for further reaches out of Alecrast. It wasn't long until I saw Reiko standing in front of me as she didn't want me to go so soon, for I wanted to be with her instead of going onto such a mission that I am on now. I wanted to be with her so badly, but I had no say as I was about to leave on a mission with the journal in my hands. It was the least I could do as I was most likely to be writing in it while I was on my travels on the field, for that knowledge could be useful to our future children soon enough.

"I know that you're leaving again," said Reiko as she put her arms around me.

"I don't want to, but I don't have a choice," I said.

"At least I baked some stuff for you and Brother. Even Magda can cook, too. Earlier, she scolded Brother for not spending enough time with you these days, but at least the two of you can be on this mission as family."

"Reiko, even if Dean's a mother hen on this mission, I'm gonna have to make the best of it."

"Be careful, Sammy..."

I kissed Reiko's soft lips as I even touched at the swollen baby bump she had. When she saw me off, I had Dean following me as he also had some supplies of his own. With our weapons on our person, along with our supplies, we left for outside as we went straight towards the clearing where a new ship was standing in. It was different than the last Hunter Corps ship that got trashed as we all got inside and sat down on the bridge. The ship itself was a huge one as it also had all the delegation coming into it for the journey to Earendil. It was way different as even I saw Colchuvar, Shigeru, and Kevin enter into the bridge while they were ready to take off from Alecrast. Even Nicholas arrived as he was ready to take the helm into piloting the ship where it needed to go.

The feel of the ship itself taking off made me start to miss Reiko as I was ready to write something in my journal that was given to me. I wanted to tell her about this experience as I was busy writing away when I saw the sky of Alecrast transitioning towards the blackest pitch of space. We were all on our way to Earendil as we were most likely to be hitting a warp point without any problems as we speak.

"Listen up," said Colchuvar sternly. "The delegation to Earendil has to be guarded at all times. We all know that this ship's a far cry from the one that got trashed, but we have to make due with what we got right now. Also, there are spacesuits in there just in case there's a need to repair any damage whatsoever. If any of you all know how the inner suits of the spacesuits work, we strip down to our birthday suits in which there's a catheter to put into our private parts due to the fact that there are no bathroom breaks in space. Before we discuss any further matters into protecting the delegates, we should do a tutorial on putting on the inner suits of the spacesuits we have on hand."

It was at that moment that we were going towards the hangar where the main airlock was as we were going towards the men's locker room for a drill. We all saw the spacesuits and inner suits on display as we stripped naked while fitting into the very suits that were made for us. Kevin, Shigeru, and myself were no strangers into getting into the inner suits as we felt the catheter snake into the place where it needed to go. I even noticed Dean getting into his own inner suit as he felt the catheter snaking into where it had to go into. The very feel of it made him feel uncomfortable as he was even putting on the spacesuit that covered him up. Still, he was trying out the catheter for the first time as he just glared at me for being used to something that resembled a torture device for one's private parts. It was his first time using the catheter in his suit as he was simply moseying all over the hangar.

"Well, Dean, what do you think?" asked Shigeru.

"It's torture for the little guy," he answered.

"I guess that you're not made for going outside of space, are you?"

"Shut up; I bet that Sam had it worse."

"Technically, I'm no stranger to catheters," I said sincerely.

"You know how these things work?"

"For starters, my first time with the catheter was when I was being tested on by the Medical Corps."

"Dude, that's just wrong," said Kevin.

"Knock it off, all of you," yelled Colchuvar. "We're suiting up for a drill, not play around. For those who hadn't tried on the spacesuits, we all know that there's a catheter there due to the fact that there's no bathroom in space."

"We heard you the first time," said Dean as he was feeling uncomfortable in his spacesuit. "How come Sam's comfortable with that damn thing while I feel like I've got fleas in the twig and berries?"

I began to laugh at my brother's problem with his spacesuit as I was quickly stifled by Kevin and Shigeru. We had our humor here on this ship as we were also escorting the delegation towards Earendil as planned. We all had our work cut out for us as we were most likely to be having our duties put to the test so far...

* * *

Gadreel was in a holding cell as he was being held prisoner due to what he committed during the time of the Elder Days. He wanted to find me right away, but he was being put under scrutiny by those who saw him as an angel who slaughtered his own torturers out of revenge as he was still receiving penance for his actions that he committed two thousand years ago. He never wanted to be put there, even against my wishes, as he saw the door open up and close. It was at that moment that Totsuka came in as he wanted to talk to Gadreel directly, for he wanted to know why he was reborn at this time and age so far.

"I knew that you would come to torment me," he said.

"Sorry, I didn't get the last details about your redemption directly," said Totsuka.

"Abaddon killed you all those years ago, didn't she?"

"She did, but my rebirth put a damper on her plans in which her posse caught me just to take me towards her and her new boy-toy."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know what happened to you after my death when you blew yourself up to get Castiel out of jail in which he went and put a damper on Metatron's Ponzi scheme."

"Yes, but I know what happened two thousand years ago when I felt the First Blade cut at me."

"Speaking of which..., the one who now bears the Mark of Cain and the First Blade is an Elf named Hideyono Kuronaga. No one knows how he got it, but he's dangerous with what he has on his person. He even killed his own mother due to the ruthlessness he has against the humans who live here on Alecrast. As for Sam and Reiko, they're gonna have to watch their backs on who's trying to take them out, for the Army of Cain have been cruising around in space terrorizing the rest of the inner planetary system."

"And that sigil on your forehead..., Sam had one just like it..."

"Dude, this one appeared on my forehead since that Army of Cain ship blew up around me. I'm lucky that I got back on my A-game, but at least I came back in one piece." Totsuka gets up and walks toward the door. "Also, for the record, we should also look out for the Children of Azazel as well, so I suggest that you tell Ginryu that you have a stake on this future at hand."

Gadreel watched the _Shinigami_ leave the holding cell as he had fresh hope into fully redeeming himself in the end. He also hoped that I would be safe on what I had in mind due to the fact that I was being ushered on a mission to guarding the delegation en route to Earendil as planned...

* * *

The first wave of exercises were being demonstrated in the simulator as we were getting used to what we had on our persons. I was on top of things as I assured Dean that he was fine due to what he was experiencing in his spacesuit. By the time the exercises were over, we left the simulator as we were on our way towards the bathhouse unit. With our suits taken off and cleaned, we were all relieved that we were surviving the crash course of being in space so far. As for me, however, I was busy at one of the wash basins as I was cleaning myself off with soap and water from head to toe. It wasn't long until Dean decided to join me as he was also scrubbing himself with soap near the wash basin next to mine. By the time we were finished, we were rinsed off as we went directly into the bathtubs where the hot water was waiting for us.

"Ahhh, this is the life," said Dean as he was happy to enjoy the hot water in the tub.

"You always say that," I said.

"After being in that spacesuit with that tube in the twig, everything's peachy."

"Dean, even though you get sent outside in space, there's no bathroom break out there. That's why there's a catheter in the inner suits all the time."

"And you say that crapped yourself in those spacesuits? That's a hell of a lot worse than wearing diapers."

"Yeah, I know, but our wastes are stored both ways: our sweat and urine are filtered in which they are converted to water for drinking. As for the feces, it's stored in the thigh packs just to be emptied out for energy conversion for the ship or any other space vehicle here at our disposal."

"Are you serious, Sammy?" I nod as I saw Dean make a face. "That's... that's just sick!"

"Well, that's the truth in a nutshell there."

I saw Dean make a very embarrassing face as he simply didn't want any more part into wearing the spacesuit ever again. Still, he had to obey the command into wearing such an embarrassing contraption like that as it would also be a godsend that could save his life someday. As for me, however, I was pondering on writing an entry into the journal after I got out of the bathtub as I didn't feel like it right now. After spending all day training with the rest of the Hunter Corps, I was tired as I got up from my bath after draining the water out of the tub. With a towel wrapped around my waist, I was ready to leave as I grabbed a robe from the shelf. After drying myself off, I placed the towel into the hamper as I put on the robe and left the bathhouse altogether and went straight to my quarters. It was a military-grade room as it had two beds instead of one so far along with a bathroom that had a shower. When I went in there, I got out my toothbrush and toothpaste and cleaned my teeth near the sink. I wanted to go to bed early as I felt tired from those training exercises earlier. After I finished up, I put away my toothbrush and toothpaste as I left the bathroom and got into my nightclothes in order to get ready for bed. When I laid down on one of the beds, I got out my journal as I was ready to write my entry into it. Just as I was about to do so, I saw Dean enter into the quarters as he plopped down on the other bed. He was tired as he just wanted to get some sleep just like me, for we had our work cut out for us while escorting the delegation to Earendil as planned.

"Well, Sam, we got the inspiration for twin beds so far," he said as he yawned.

"It's ironic that we're in the same quarters," I said as I was writing in my journal.

"Actually, this is the best time well spent so far between us."

"What do you mean?"

"We haven't been doing this since we were put on Gehenna years ago. It's a godsend that we're in the same room, but we sure miss the hell out of Reiko and Magda back on Alecrast."

"All I'm hoping for is that they're alive and safe while we're gone here in space. It's the least we can hope for."

"Hey, father-to-be, if those twins come out earlier, then I wanna be seeing them in all their glory." I was stunned to hear Dean say that as I stopped writing in my journal for a brief moment. "I'm serious, Sam. I wanna be the first to see my two nephews in person when they come out in the spring."

"Then you'll end up getting your wish when we get back home to Alecrast. Besides, there's an upcoming summit in Kabizashi that we have to attend to first."

"Haven't I told you that you always stood out?"

"No..."

"Anyway, being tall and having that raw power sigil on your forehead didn't cut it."

"Okay, then what did?"

"It's your hair and how long you grew it out while we were dealing with that asshat on Gehenna years ago. It's something that made you the swan out of the bunch."

"Dean, I _may_ have been an ugly duckling, but being a swan's something that's never occurred to me before. It's also something that I lived with over the years, but I turned out to be the one who outshined everyone that doubted me."

I made my point clear as I resumed my writing in my journal. I was writing every detail in my book as I wanted to tell Reiko all about what I experienced on this trip to Earendil. Throughout the trip, we had no problems running into the Army of Cain as the ship came towards a warp point that led all the way to the location that we needed to go to. Speaking of which, I was pondering on seeing Reiko once again as I was thinking about her all the time, for I would return to her when the mission was done and over with soon enough...

* * *

**Many Years Ago On Gehenna...**

I was busy cleaning up the barracks as I was getting the beds made for the soldiers who slept in this room I was in. It took me two hours just to clean the room as I was busy at my work at the fort. Even though my work was cut out for me, I remained on task as I even had to rely on the teachings of the book that was given to me by Ginryu all those years ago. My demeanor had became calm as I even became more tolerant of Sylvanus' cruelty against me, but I didn't let it bother me due to the fact that I remained the odd one out since I was brought here with Dean when our father died many years ago. By the time I was finished, I was on my way towards my room near the broom closet as I noticed Dean coming back from a hunting mission. He was exhausted from such trouble as he was about to go towards the room I cleaned up earlier. Even I was glad to see him as I took off the cap from my head and exposed the long hair and sideburns that I had along with the jeweled sigil on my forehead. Dean was stunned to see my hair grow long enough to reach my back as I didn't want to cut it. My hair was something that I had on me as it kept me more focused than ever. I was starting to become like the Elves on Alecrast as they had long hair on their heads, for it was my reason to come back home sooner or later.

"Dude, if there were some clippers, then you should have it shoulder-length by now," said Dean.

"Shut up," I said. "It's my hair, you know."

"Sam, you're starting to pine like an Elf with those locks on your head. Hell, if any woman saw you here, they'd flip in order to see you in all your glory."

"What are you talking about? I'm already tall as it is, you know."

"Hey, ugly duckling, after I get a shower and a change of clothes, we should dine in the mess hall together."

"Dean, there are rules and regulations here in the fort, but-"

"Stop right there. We're family and we're gonna continue to _be_ that family because we're all we've got. It won't be fair that you get left out all the time and I get to play soldier, but if you end up being an Elder with all that knowledge in your cranium, you'd make Sylvanus choke on his words. Now, let's do our part and dine in the mess hall like a real family should."

I followed my brother as we decided to do that while the rest of the soldiers and servants were coming towards the mess hall for dinner. We smelled the scent of roast venison and vegetables cooking as we were most likely to be eating at that table by the window for today. I was happy to have my hair grow long as I was fiddling with it, but I was much happier that Dean was with me as we were both there as family and that counted more than anything...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present... again!**

The ship with the delegation pulled out of the warp point as we finally touched down towards Earendil. I was up and about as I was dressed up in fancy clothing for an Elder of the Order. By the time the ship touched down, it landed in a clearing as it was parked near a castle. I noticed Dean dressed up in his Hunter Corps uniform as he was ready to escort me there. He meant business as he didn't want to leave my side not one bit. He wanted to protect me as I was a target in all this trouble on all sides. We had never seen so much here like on Alecrast as I noticed the snow falling on the ground for winter. It was a place of many trees as some of them housed people in them while castle structures were built on them as well. I was stunned to see something like this as I saw several Rendilians come out in winter garb as they were seeing me here for the first time. My heart skipped a beat as I saw the beauty of Earendil directly until I heard a familiar voice calling to me.

"Sammy!"

I was stunned as I saw Reiko and Magda standing in front of me in which they were brought here for a reason. Even Dean was stunned that Magda was plucked out of the castle along with Reiko as he wanted to take her the moment they went towards a room in the castle. As for me, however, I was holding Reiko's hand as I was even feeling the baby bump that protruded from her dress. I was glad that she was there with me, but who brought her and Magda here?

"Looks like our spouses missed us," said Dean.

"Hey, your angel friend was the one who considered us coming here when he whisked us out of the castle on Alecrast," said Magda.

"Castiel sent you two here?" I asked as Reiko nodded. "I see..."

"He said for us to come here," she said sincerely.

"And what about Dirk?"

"Dirk's a little stubborn," said Magda. "He's the type that can't leave the castle yet because he has school still."

"Who's watching him, exactly?"

"Herschel stood behind to look after Dirk along with that housemaid who appeared out of nowhere. Still, he's got a long way to go, but when he comes of age, he'll know all about the ways and means of the Order of Letters. Don't worry, the kid will have his shot, but not now because he's got all that time before he reaches adulthood."

I was relieved that Dirk wasn't alone as I was thinking about him at home. I was picturing him doing his schoolwork as I had a feeling that he would make a fine member of the Order someday. By the time we all entered into the castle, we were greeted by another familiar Cat Sidhe as she was part of the Garrison Corps while guarding the delegation here on Earendil. It was Debbie as she was on hand into attending the rest of our delegation while we were busy checking in for the summit at hand here on this planet. We were all inside of the interior house of the castle as we were ready to go towards our rooms for the week. The inside of the castle blew me away as I was amazed by the art here. I saw several tapestries hanging above the ceiling as I noticed every detail being woven into them due to all the colors that were used on them. Still, even though I was brought here, I had to be chaperoned by Dean as he refused to budge from his duty as my protector on his delegate mission.

"You know, you don't have to hover over me," I told him.

"Sorry, Sam, but I'm sticking to you whether you like it or not," said Dean.

"I know that you mean well, but you can't protect me forever."

"Hey, I can't let the Army of Cain or the Children of Azazel get a hold of you because of all that raw power in your noggin and that's a fact."

"But, Dean-"

"Sam, listen to what your brother has to tell you," said Castiel as he appeared out of nowhere. "The Army of Cain and the Children of Azazel have been watching from the sidelines due to the factor that you and Reiko carry the future of this planetary system. It can't be ignored and it can't be put aside, either. They are hidden in plain sight in which they will stop at nothing to do away with you. We can't let that happen and if it did, then both sides of the Demon War would win, but their next objective is to take over everything here in the universe. You have to prepare for what would happen next."

I saw Castiel disappear as I was left at the overprotection of Dean altogether. I didn't want too much protection, but I didn't have a say in the matter. I had to endure the fact that Dean was protecting me non-stop as I was most likely to be the target of the monsters and radicals that were itching to get a piece of me. When I followed Reiko towards our room, I closed the door behind me as I sat down in a chair that was next to a bed. I even noticed Reiko sitting down on it as she felt the baby bump swelling up even further. I had a feeling that my wife wasn't doing well as she was feeling the pinch of her pregnancy progressing in her body. She was tired as she wanted to rest up for a while, for I would even make sure that nothing bad would ever happen to her while we were here on Earendil.

"Hey, are you feeling alright?" I asked.

"I feel fatigued, but I'll be fine," said Reiko.

"You should've stayed at home, but at least you're here now so I won't be lonely."

"Sammy, I feel the twins growing in my body every day now. Is something wrong?"

"No, but if there is, we'll ask one of the Medical Corps on standby to see what's wrong with you."

I saw Reiko smile at me as she was safe with me again. Little did I know was that Dean was peeking through the door to our room as he didn't want anything bad to happen to either one of us. He was there to protect us as he didn't want any demon or radical to do any harm to his future relatives at present. While he was busy on guard duty, he saw Jun walking towards our room as she walked past him and went straight towards me and Reiko directly. It was also on a whim that she came along with the delegation as she was about to throw another party here on this planet we're staying on.

"I take it that Reiko got exhausted from being hauled by Castiel," she said.

"I'm fine, Auntie Jun," she said.

"According to our wayward angel friend, you've been feeling the twins grow quicker than normal in which that raw power's making them wanting to come out even more."

"Are you sure about this?" I asked.

"I know so because they are destined to come out so readily instead of the spring."

"I bet that Dean's gonna flip when our sons would come out early, perhaps on his birthday."

"Well, in two days, it'll be his birthday, but I bet that he and Magda would end up having a bun in their oven soon enough."

Dean was flabbergasted about that statement as he heard it from Jun from outside of our room. He had never told Magda about making a baby of their own yet as he wanted to go into his own room and take her before the night was over. Still, he wanted to check up on her directly just like I checked up on Reiko as he was starting to see a vision of his own appear in the window's reflection. He saw himself with Magda as they were holding a set of twin girls in their arms in which it was a future vision that could never be ignored, no matter what the outcome. He smiled at that notion as he saw the sky on Earendil become nighttime so far. When he went towards his own room, he saw Magda sleeping in the bed as she was also exhausted from being whisked away by Castiel earlier. He didn't mind her being here as he was on his way towards the bathroom to get a shower first. To his surprise, he saw a pregnancy test as it was sitting on the bathroom sink when he picked it up out of curiosity. When he saw the sign of the pregnancy test showing up positive, he was realizing that he had something else to protect as well, for he vowed to watch over us due to the fact that we were all family so far...

"Son-of-a-bitch..." he said to himself.

**To be continued...**


	11. The Shifting Tide, Part 1

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 11: The Shifting Tide, Part 1  
**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It was a daunting blizzard as the ships from the delegation were immobile due to the weather here on Earendil. The winter here became like Gehenna as something else was watching from the sidelines. The familiar figure was watching from afar as he was spotting me and Reiko with his binoculars. It was Severin as he wanted revenge against me for the humiliation he got since that night at Ippei's home several months ago. He was itching for vengeance as he was most likely to be going mainly after me due to the fact that I excelled past those that deemed me unworthy of being a part of the Order. In that particular moment, he saw me and Reiko in the castle as we were being spotted in the window. Severin was noticing that my wife's baby bump was slightly growing as he wanted to get rid of it so badly. According to what he heard from Abaddon and Hideyono, the twins were a threat as they were most likely to be part of the shifting tide throughout the planetary system and beyond. Still, he wanted to do things his way as he went against Abaddon's wishes in general, for he would bring on the most heinous of all incidents that would shake the Order to its core.

"I _will_ put an end to you and your family, Sam Winchester," he said as he seethed in anger.

He had to put his plan into action as he was wanting to put an end to me as much as possible. He wanted to get back at me for the humiliation that he suffered from as he was itching to get a piece of me. With Sylvana killing his father and forging documents into his release, Severin was on a roll as he saw a Rendilian guard spotting him on the sly. Severin himself was caught, but he wasn't about to go down easily as he rolled up his sleeve in order to expose the infamous Mark of Cain that was carved on it. He was ready to do his worst as he killed the Rendilian guard with his bare hands as he saw the blood gushing into the white snow. He had reveled in the thrill of the kill as he wanted to get his revenge against me in such a terrible way possible, for he would stop at nothing to get at me in which he would do the worst harm with his new status in the Army of Cain. Little did he know was that Totsuka was watching in the distance as he had to find me right away before anything bad happened, for the worst was about to begin soon enough...

* * *

I was busy staring out the window of my room as I endured a day's worth of being in the summit. The snow came down hard as it was hard for any ship that came here on this planet to leave due to the blizzard that came without warning. When I saw Reiko standing at my side, she was also seeing the snow fall as she was clutching at her swollen stomach in which she felt the twins moving in her womb. She was also feeling the pinch of the pregnancy as she was also finding it hard to stand up on her own in which I was guiding her towards where she needed to go to during our stay on Earendil. I was fully concerned for her as I felt my mind shift to panic mode on the spot. Reiko needed me more than ever as I vowed not to let anything happen to her, for I had to protect her from any form of threat whether I liked it or not.

"It's ironic that our twins won't be born on Alecrast any time soon," I said.

"They won't wait, either," said Reiko as she felt the twins moving inside of her.

"With Dean's birthday coming up, he doesn't have a cake and presents for him yet."

"I could bake him a pie if he wants it."

"Magda's on it, but she can't take the heavy load right now."

"Is something wrong with her?"

"Actually, Dean won't let her out his sight because of the fact that he saw the news about what they're expecting."

"What is it, exactly?"

"Magda's pregnant and Dean is all up for being a father as well, but there's always a catch when it comes to what will happen next."

"I see..."

"Reiko, our family's expanding and I'm more than welcome to usher in our future relatives with us so there's no need to worry."

I saw my wife smile as she was also feeling at the swollen baby bump she was carrying within her. I was also grateful that I had her in my life as I would be there to make sure that she and our twins would be alive and safe in the long run. It was also the least I can do as I was simply making sure that no further harm would come to Reiko, for she was carrying something precious in her womb...

* * *

Dean was busy getting dressed after stepping out of the shower as he got dressed for the day. After seeing Magda going through a bout of morning sickness, he decided to keep her in bed as he noticed her sleeping under the warm covers. The news about Magda's upcoming pregnancy and the vision that he had made him think about his position as a member of the Hunter Corps as he vowed to make sure that he would train the future that would come closer to him. It was at that moment that he would now realize that the future he was expecting had came at him in full force as he saw Magda waking up from her slumber.

"Hey, you're up early," she said.

"I just got out of the shower," said Dean as he was laying next to her.

"The weather's pretty bad on this planet, but at least we're enjoying a hint of winter here."

"At least it's not so bad as being on Gehenna."

"I bet that we're gonna be going to visit Dr. Ichinose when we get back to Alecrast soon."

"Is it about the baby?"

"It is, but there's a saying that if you have morning sickness too much, then the baby would be born a girl."

"I'm cool with that because I know that a feminine touch is needed to balance our relations with other families in the long run."

"That's what my dad said when he scolded my relatives about not marrying a Winchester due to the bad luck it brought, but that bad luck turned out to be a good thing when Sam used his raw power to get us out of harm's way against the Army of Cain."

Dean was thinking about the Army of Cain as they had become the scourge of the inner planetary system. It was hell for him to think about the near excursions against such a terrible force as he wanted to get rid of them one slow step at a time. He couldn't let them take any of us from him as he had a stake into protecting all of us in the long run. He had to keep us safe. He had to make sure that nothing bad ever happened to us as we all had a stake in what was about to happen in hindsight, for he didn't want it to happen on his watch...

* * *

I was back in my room as I was checking up on Reiko, who was sleeping in the bed. I was also grateful that there were extra pillows on the bed as they were mainly to prop my wife up in order to maintain all the bedrest that she needed in this pregnancy that she had. After seeing her sleeping, I went towards my guest office as I was seeing to the extra paperwork and reports that were given to me earlier. After spending twenty minutes looking over some reports that were given to me, I decided to take a break as I briefly kissed Reiko's lips before I left the room. It was also on a whim as I felt her swollen belly as the twins were sleeping inside of her womb. When I left the room, I went towards the cafeteria as I was about to get something to eat. With a selection of winter food put on display, I noticed the arctic quail being cooked with vegetables as it was being set in front of the dishing area. There was also grilled daraga on skewers as it was cooked to perfection in which I paid for some along with a bowl of Kanto ramen, which took off from Alecrast years ago. The taste of the broth reminded me of home as wanted to return soon enough, for Dirk was waiting for me and Reiko to return after being here on Earendil.

While I was enjoying my meal, I was most likely to be getting back to Reiko after lunch as I wanted to check up on her for the day. With the clock striking towards four, I finished up my meal as I put my dishes by the kitchen counter to be washed by the staff. By the time I left the cafeteria, I heard a loud booming sound as I felt an explosion shake the castle. When I ran out into the hall, I sprinted towards my room as I noticed that Reiko was gone. I was going on panic mode as I felt my heart pounding in such a primal panic. It wasn't long until I saw two demons approaching as they flashed their black glossy eyes. I was too late in preventing the abduction of my wife as I had to stop the intruders before they did more damage to this castle. Just as I was about to do battle, I saw gunshots being fired at the demons as they dropped dead on the floor in which I noticed the familiar face from the journal from the Elder Days standing in front of me. He was too late in preventing the kidnapping of Reiko as he wanted to follow the trail of the one who caused this trouble.

"There's no time to lose," he said as he put away his gun. "Well, aren't you gonna man up to be the knight in shining armor and rescue the damsel in distress or are you gonna let that asshat who killed Sylvanus do away with her?"

"You're Totsuka, aren't you?" I asked.

"The Army of Cain picked up your location the moment you guys came to Earendil, but there's gonna be some scary crap coming your way."

"Oh, no..."

I felt a sense of dread as I sprinted towards Dean's room. I sensed the worst as I saw Magda on the floor after being knocked out earlier. She was worried for Dean as she wanted to get dressed and find him before he becomes a target for the Army of Cain to torture. When I helped her up, I placed her on the bed as I even felt at the tiny pulsation that was in her womb. In an instant, I sensed that the unborn offspring of my brother was intact as I was grateful that neither mother or child were harmed even worse. I had to find Reiko and Dean as I heard my videophone ringing when I picked it up from my trenchcoat pocket. I was fearing the worst as I answered it directly in which I was about to hear the terrible news about what was happening in front of me.

"Who is this?" I asked over the phone.

"You _know _who this is," said a familiar voice as he was cackling with such an icy chill in his voice.

"Severin..." My heartbeat quickened as I was remembering the cruelty that I suffered from back on Orianthis. "You should've been put away in prison months ago."

"After making bank with the Queen Regent of Hell and her consort that bears the Mark of Cain and First Blade in his hands, I wanted to get back at you for humiliating me and my sister several months ago at Ippei's house on Alecrast. Oh, by the way, I know where to hurt you the most because the Army of Cain have your beloved wife and brother prisoner."

"Reiko..., Dean..." Anger fumed in my body as I wanted to find Severin and kill him. "Where the hell have you taken them?! Where have you taken my wife?! Where have you taken my brother?!"

"Dude, Severin's goading you into releasing your anger, so I suggest that you calm down," said Totsuka cautiously. "You need to have a calm head or else you'll end up getting out of control."

"I can't abandon them! I won't do that ever again!"

"Temper, temper," said Severin. "If you want to rescue your wife and brother, then I suggest that you come alone so we can make it a fair fight." I paused briefly as I was thinking about the safety of Reiko and Dean directly. "Well, I'm waiting..."

"Agreed. I'll go alone, but If I come to where you want me to be, then I suggest that you release my wife and brother before you do."

I heard the phone hang up as I wanted to find Severin and wring his neck for bringing demons to do his dirty work. I had to hurry fast, but I was stopped by Totsuka as he was concerned for my abilities into honing my powers into a weapon of my making. I wanted to save Reiko as she was carrying the twins inside of her womb as I also wanted to save Dean as well. He had Magda to look after as she was carrying his child in the making, for there was his future on the line in which he had to look after them in the long run. I had to do this. I had to go it alone, but where should I find them?"

"Well, Severin, you can't just play the villain and wait forever," I said.

"Dude, you can't just go and fight Severin half-cocked," said Totsuka.

"Then, what can I do?!" Fear tinged in my voice as I was scared to death for the safety of Reiko and Dean. "Severin will kill them if I don't show up!"

"Then sense them with your internal abilities. Don't you have them at your disposal besides that raw power of yours?"

That notion popped into my head as I placed my hand on my chest. I was feeling the pulsation of my own heartbeat as I felt another one being in synch with it. The familiar heartbeat was Dean's as I began to sense his whereabouts on the sly. It was also at that notion when felt a chill near stone as I felt a vision seep into my mind. I knew where Reiko and Dean were as they were being held in an old building. It was a place of dread as I had to go there to save the family that was important to me. When I removed my hand, I felt slightly exhausted as I rebounded in order to get going where I needed to go. It would only be a matter of time before something else happened, but I had to remain calm and focused in order to save the very family that I loved dearly. I had to rescue them from Severin's wrath as I was going to where I needed to be...

* * *

Reiko was put in a cold cell as she was freezing from the winter weather that creeped from outside of the old place she was taken to. She was also scared to death as she was clutching at her swollen stomack in which she feared for the safety of the twins she was carrying. It wasn't long until she saw Dean being thrown into another cell next to hers as he was itching to put his fist through Severin when he got out. Both of them were Severin's prisoners as they were at his mercy for a brief time, for they would end up being killed at the end if they didn't comply with his orders.

"That asshat," said Dean as he was seething at the notion of being captured by Severin directly. "He sure has the nerve to catch us off guard."

"Brother!" cried Reiko as she saw him through the window of her cell. "Thank goodness!"

"We're not out of the woods yet because Severin's in charge and he's got a trap set for Sam in this hellhole."

"A trap? Oh, no..."

"Those underlings under his command sure have the nerve to throw us around, but did they have to toss Magda around like a ragdoll?"

"Is Sister alright?"

"I have no idea, but if Severin or any of those asshats do damage to what she's carrying, I'll do more than just a simple exorcism on their asses."

"Bravo, Dean," he said as he came into the holding area. "I see that you still have the gall to have all that fire inside of you."

"You son-of-a-bitch... I know what you're trying to pull! You're setting a trap for Sam, aren't you?! Well, it won't work because either way, he'll save me and Reiko from this hellhole just in time to beat the crap out of you!"

Severin was unmoved by Dean's threats as he revealed the infamous Mark of Cain etched onto his right arm. He was stunned to see something like that on his captor's arm as he remembered the confrontation between him and his past self in a dream. He remembered the Mark of Cain being painted on the ships that were the scourge in space as they were a threat that would never go away in the end. Dean wanted to tell me about Severin working for Abaddon and Hideyono as he even wanted to get out and face them head on.

"You remembered the Mark of Cain, didn't you, Dean?" said Severin with an icy voice.

"I've known that Mark the moment those battle cruisers attacked us," he said.

"That's not all because there's been an imprint that sprung from the raw power's main progenitor himself and one of them came into the _Shinigami _that was reborn from his slumber of two thousand years. He's even one of the best weaponmakers that ever graced Planet Earth and the Middle Ground back in the time of the Elder Days."

"Totsuka..." Dean was concerned for the _Shinigami_ that roamed all over the place as he wanted to get Severin by the balls. "If you even come near him, I'll put a new one in you!"

"Oh, by the way, that wayward weaponmaker's not the only one who has an imprint of raw power from Sam himself. It also seems that you have one as well."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The Mark of Cain is deemed inoperative and untransferrable into you because of the raw power imprint in the form of a sigil that isn't on your forehead like your brother."

"Yeah, keep talkin', asshat!"

"The imprint that Sam's raw power bestowed unto you is well hidden... inside your body. I know of this from Abaddon herself because she's been keeping tabs on your brother and his Elven wife for some time now. Even the Children of Azazel are well-aware of the fact that they still want to put an end to what's been destined to keep us fiends out of the picture. I also know about your past self becoming a demon from this Mark I have until he was cured from his folly from the Elder Days in which-"

"I heard that one, too, from your old man before you and Sylvana killed him on Harkonnen! You sure know how to stir the pot of useless crap on your hands because of the notion that Sam and Reiko were made for one another, but all along, the Demon War was mainly about Crowley and Abaddon battling for the top spot for Hell's throne. Now that the ousted King of Hell's gone, your Queen Regent's been going up against the the Children of Azazel in which you still want Sam and Reiko out of the picture. As for you, you're still butt-hurt over the fact that you got caught doing your dirty deeds at Ippei's house months ago, but you had the go-ahead in orchestrating your revenge so carefully."

Without warning, Severin used his newfound abilities on Dean as he pinned him against the wall in his cell. He was in control as he wanted to do away with my brother directly. He was also aware of the fact that Dean sparred with him years ago while at the fort on Gehenna as he wanted to get back at him for humiliating him as well. Just as he was about to do some damage on him, he stopped as he wanted to use him and Reiko as bargaining chips on me, for he was planning his trap on me in order to get his revenge soon enough...

* * *

Magda followed me out the door as she wanted to rescue Dean on the spot. She was concerned for his safety as she also wanted to gut at the Army of Cain for breaking into the castle here. Still, I didn't want her to follow me as I had to go it alone in order to save Reiko and Dean from Severin's clutches before it was too late. I was on borrowed time right now, but I had to deal with it, regardless of the matter at hand right now.

"You can't face those asshats out there by yourself," said Magda as she was fully concerned.

"Magda, I have to do this or else Dean and Reiko will die," I said.

"Then I'm coming with you."

"No..." I felt at Magda's stomach as I wanted to make sure that Dean's unborn offspring was safe from harm. "You can't do that because of what you bear within you. Let me find Dean and Reiko. Let me get them back from harm's way. It's the least I can do for now."

"Do you even know where they are?"

"I sensed them being held in an old building that is known as the Factory of Death before it was shut down by the local government here. The Rendilians are known for their foresting skills, but they were not too keen on the factories that came here from other planets. It's what I know because of my status as an Elder of the Order. Don't worry, I'll bring Dean and Reiko back in one piece and as for Severin, I-"

"I hope that you kick him in the daddy pills. It's the least you can do. As for your status as an Elder of the Order, I bet that your superiors are gonna call you the Elder of the Field because of your adventures. It's something that can be put into motion for years to come when you save the family that you have."

I had renewed confidence in me as I vowed to save Reiko and Dean from Severin's clutches. When Magda saw me off, she was praying that we were all alive as she wanted to see us safe from this petty skirmish in the long run. Sooner or later, I would be having company that would be there by my side, for it was something that would be a godsend for me if I succeed into saving the hostages in time. When I left the castle, I was followed by Shigeru as he even had Moro with him. They were also concerned for Reiko and Dean as they couldn't abandon the very family that was there with them. Still, I had to do this alone, but not without backup as I was most likely to be facing my nemesis in the Factory of Death soon enough.

"We heard from some of the demons that busted in about trapping you and using Dean and Reiko as bait," said Shigeru as he had his sword in his hands.

"I know all about it, but you and Moro don't have to come with me," I said.

"Hey, that's our sister and brother-in-law in there in that Factory of Death," said Moro defensively. "There's no way in hell that we're gonna leave them hanging in there."

"I know of the very consequences that would come forth if I don't do this."

"Do what? By throwing yourself to Severin's victory? He's planning something in there in the Factory of Death and there's also the fact that some of the demonic underlings are still lurking around there just to pounce on their target."

"Sam, you're not alone on this," said Shigeru. "We'll let you face Severin head-on, but let us get the underlings that do his dirty work. It's the least we can do for you because there's no way in hell that we're gonna let Dean and Reiko die in that place on the hill because of what it once was." I noticed Shigeru fishing out an old patch of fabric as it had the SucroCorp logo on it. "We all know what it was before Colchuvar came in and took it out with the help of the Rendilian government. If we get there to that place, we're gonna have to do this in order to get Dean and Reiko out of that craphole and that's a fact. We're here to kick some ass and take names and we're not gonna let that douchebag do away with the family we got, you hear me?"

I nodded sincerely as I was ready to take out Severin head-on while departing the castle. I was most likely to be getting into further danger as I didn't have time to deal with the consequences right now. I had to rescue Dean and Reiko before Severin would end up killing them as I was sprinting on the trail where the Factory of Death would be. Little did I know was that Totsuka was waiting in the wings as he also wanted in on the action, for he didn't want Abaddon or the Army of Cain to get their way in the end...

* * *

Reina arrived as she was surveying the damage that was done here in the castle. With traces of sulphur scattered all over the halls, the Rendilian Elder was certain that there were demons here in the castle as she was more than ready to assemble the Garrison and Cross Corps troops that were here to put an end to what happened here. It wasn't long until she noticed Colchuvar and Kevin approaching as they were also aware of the fact that the assault on the castle was something that could never be ignored in hindsight, for the demons under Severin's command had to be eliminated before more damage would be done.

"I take it that Severin didn't mess around," said Kevin as he saw the damage near the room I was staying at. "He sure put those demons to work, I can tell you that."

"That cruel son-of-a-bitch," said Colchuvar as he unsheathed his Claymore. "He sure had some nerve to pull that shit off without Abaddon's approval."

"This isn't just a ploy of revenge," said Reina. "It's an act of war against the Order of Letters."

"According to what Ginryu said back at the main headquarters, Abaddon is a Knight of Hell and has Clovis' bastard son as her consort due to him having the Mark of Cain and the First Blade."

"This isn't the first time that Abaddon pulled such trickery when she planned her assault on Sam and Reiko on Kaijirin months ago. It was also on a whim that the two guards at the hotel who were guarding them were lower shapeshifters that changed form before being killed by our Knight of Hell."

"Lowerlings... They're pretty common due to the fact that they flash their eyes at their form before shedding their skin, but the going the noble length into posing as the two guards as well as Sam and Reiko had their perks so far. They may have been monsters, but we can't let their sacrifice go down in vain. As for Severin and his demonic cronies, they're not gonna rest easily I can tell you that."

"Then mobilize your troops. You have my support into stopping the ones that attacked us."

Colchuvar and Kevin saw Reina give them the thumbs-up as they were off to stop the demons that assaulted the castle. They were no strangers of such battles, for they would be ready to stop their enemies in the Factory of Death soon enough...

* * *

Totsuka was hiding in the trees as he was most likely to be gathering up the very weapons on his person. He was also aware that Abaddon's forces were there just to simply trap and kill me and Reiko in order to keep things as is. Still, he was put in the fray, but he didn't mind it because of the fact that he wanted to be useful with the weapons that he wanted to forge from certain that most monsters fear. To his surprise, he saw me sprinting on the trail as I had Shigeru and Moro with me. We were there to put a stop to Severin's evil plans as we were all going to where we needed to go to. It was at that moment that Totsuka decided to follow us as he removed his cloak and revealed his clothes that were worn back in time of the Elder Days. He was dressed up in his usual biker gear as he was also wearing a black leather jacket with gloves and scarf. It was also at that moment that he revealed a sword that he forged as he was ready to put a dent into Abaddon's plans, for he hadn't forgotten her the moment she killed him two thousand years ago. Just as he was about to make his next move, he saw a familiar presence emerge as he was dressed up in arctic gear and trenchcoat, for he also wanted in on the action as well.

"I take it that Aba-douche's probably getting her troops together as we speak," he said as he was sucking on a Tootsie Pop. "It's been ages since we came back, but let's hope for the best on this battle."

"Abaddon's not the one calling the shots on that assault at Celeborn Keep moments ago," said Totsuka. "Looks like Severin's the one that ordered it in which Dean and Reiko have been abducted and are most likely to be used as pawns into luring Sam into a trap."

"That's just wrong! It's like when Lucifer ganked me two thousand years along with you being ganked by Aba-douche. Still, time flies when you get lost in the moment, but at least we'll have the last laugh the moment this battle's over."

"We have to catch up with Sam and the others that are en route towards the Factory of Death or else there's gonna be hell upside down. Furthermore, I'm gonna have to fill you in on the details because we can't sit this one out."

"It's about the factory that was once owned by Leviathans, isn't it? I've heard all about it when Colchuvar stormed into the main base on Harkonnen and shut it down ten years ago. Now, we have two problems on our hands, but at least we can deal with them just in time to star in another movie of _Casa Erotica_."

"It's not gonna be easy, Gabriel. All we know so far is that Sam's gonna have problems the moment he gets into the Factory of Death." Totsuka spots some troops from the Garrison and Cross Corps as they were marching on the trail. "Looks like Sam's got some backup after all."

"The two Corps troops aren't the only ones marching." Gabriel spots a small troop of Hunter Corps soldiers as they were being led by Colchuvar and Kevin. "It's gonna be one hell of a battle when it comes to facing the Army of Cain."

"As soon as we do our part, I can get back to making weapons while you get back to starring in more _Casa Erotica _pornos. It's the most we can do, but we do it whenever we have as much spare time as normal because we all have a stake into putting a dent in the Demon War."

Gabriel was delighted to hear that from Totsuka as he was eager to help out in this battle against Severin and the Army of Cain that attacked the castle an hour ago. When both archangel and _Shinigami _set off, they were ready to put a dent in Severin's plans against me as they were ready to put the cruel traitor in his place soon enough...

* * *

I was sprinting further into the forest where the Factory of Death would be as I was running on borrowed time right now. The sight of Dean and Reiko being held prisoner by Severin made me go even quicker as I wanted to save them before it was too late. With Shigeru and Moro keeping up with me, we all stopped at a bridge that wasn't used in years as it was old with age. Still, we had to keep going as we carefully crossed the bridge in which it was built over a stream that was frozen with ice. We had to get going as we even noticed trouble along the way. We saw the presence of demons on the other side of the bridge as we had to stop them from letting us get through. The flashing of their black eyes unnerved me as I was ready to use my other senses to broaden my raw power while in the heat of battle.

"Looks like we got company," said Shigeru.

"I see what they look like now," I said as I was using my other senses. "We're dealing with two non-corporeals and eight corporeal ones."

"Are you telling us that the bulk of the demon squad's not using any meatsuits?" asked Moro.

"The non-corporeal ones use a meatsuit to navigate, but the rest of the demons here act on their own."

"Well, we'll exorcise the two non-corporeals while we gank the rest." said Shigeru. "It's the least we can do for now."

It was done in a flash as I used my raw power to exorcise the two non-corporeal ones in which the plumes of black smoke returned to hell while scorching through the snow. As for Shigeru and Moro, they used their weapons to kill some of the demons that were advancing in our way until a wave of gunshots killed the rest. It wasn't long until we saw Totsuka emerge as he had his fabled guns in his hands, for one of them was something that came from the Elder Days. When he reloaded his weapon, he also reloaded the other gun on his person as he sprang from the trees in order to fight alongside the three of us.

"Dude, this group of demons is weaker than cat piss," he said.

"So, you're the famous Totsuka," said Shigeru.

"Hey, there's no way in hell that I'm gonna let the Army of Cain get their way 'cause I've got my guns."

"Let me guess: one of them's modeled after a Ruger and the other one's way old."

"That 'way old' gun's the same revolver that was built and forged by the legendary Samuel Colt back in the Elder Days. It's also a hot item that has the means to open the Gates of Hell if it fell in the wrong hands."

"So, you've got a relic on your hands, don't you?" I asked.

"This relic's been given to Azazel, stolen by a thief, given to Crowley, and so on and so on. Yeah, it's been around before all the human population left the Earth two thousand years ago. Anyway, the current weapons you got came from my secret stash of ethereal metal along with silver, steel, wrought iron, and salt." I see Totsuka stare at me as he was looking at the sword that I had on my person. "By the way, Sam, the sword that you got actually came from me when you got kicked out of the fort on Gehenna months ago. That's actually my specialty that goes along with the other demom-killing weapons that are now relics."

"I know the inscription on the scabbard very well. It says, '_non timebo mala_,' in Latin."

"And that same inscription is on the butt end of the Colt, too. Anyway, we gotta meet up with some of your troops 'cause they're on their way to the Factory of Death as well."

"Then let's go," said Moro. "I wanna be there to put my foot in Severin's face just as much as everyone else, so I suggest that we all get going."

And so, we followed Totsuka as we were going towards the Factory of Death. It wasn't long now as we spotted a certain troupe from the Medical Corps that was standing in the distance. They were following us as they were a group that consisted of a Half-Elf, a Rendilian, an Orianthan, and two humans who were there to follow the soldiers that were going towards the Factory of Death in which there would be a faction of demons waiting for everyone in the distance. Still there would be danger in the distance, but sooner or later, there would also be the wrath of Severin to deal with soon enough...

* * *

Reiko was shaking with cold as she wanted to get free from Severin's clutches right away. She wanted to be with me once again as she was feeling at her swollen stomach due to the fact that her pregnancy would end up being accelerated if not warned right away. It wasn't long until she saw Severin coming into her cell as he saw her cringe at his presence. He wanted to get rid of her right away as he viewed her and the twins a threat to anyone that was not in tune with Abaddon's machinations. He was simply wanting to kill her as he also had an itching temper that was ready to flare up in order to do away with his opponents if they didn't agree with him, for he was simply counting on the victory that the Army of Cain would do here on Earendil.

"Stay away from me," said Reiko as she was scared for her safety along with the twins. "You're evil and I won't let you hurt me or Brother here."

"Oh, I'm not gonna hurt you yet," said Severin. "All I'm gonna do to you is remove a threat in order to appease Abaddon."

"No...; please don't hurt my babies, I beg of you..."

"Your litter's a threat to Abaddon and what she stands for! All I'm doing here is to remove a problem so it don't go to seed!"

Reiko was screaming for her life as it was heard through the cell next to hers.

"Hey!" cried Dean. "Back off, you son-of-a-bitch!"

"You're still reeling from your punishment, aren't you, Dean?" said Severin as he was itching to lose his temper. "I'm sure gonna enjoy gutting you and that whimpering little Elf bitch in which the blood will flow here just like it did when there were Leviathans running amok in this factory ten years ago... or was that _eleven_?"

"Listen up, asshat! If you harm Reiko here along with my future nephews, I swear that I'll bust out of this cell and kill you where you stand, do you hear me?!"

"You're starting to bore me with all your petty talk! All I'm doing here is to make you watch me perform what you call-"

"You're not doing _anything _to Reiko!" Anger was flaring up in Dean's very being as he wanted to lose it on his captor. "All you are is nothing but a spoiled brat who doesn't get his way every time someone else has it a lot better than _you _do! Admit it! You're just uncomfortable and insecure all because my little brother got out of the Cinderella mold in order to become one of the Elders in the Order of Letters! And for _that_, you took all that anger out on Daddy when you and Sylvana killed him on Harkonnen!"

"I had enough of your talk, Dean Winchester! I won't stand for what my father did all because he married Julia Campbell and beget that bitch of a half-sister who now runs his fort badly! Very soon, I'll appease Abaddon to take down the Order of Letters starting with the slaughter of the clans that have been intermarrying with the dying Winchester family! It would be a glorious occasion because it will be met with blood flowing in the streets on all twelve planets of the inner planetary system! Long live Queen Abaddon and the Army of Cain at her command!"

When Severin was more than ready to lose his temper even worse, he heard the alarm go off as he left the cell area and went straight to the control room. It was on a whim that he spotted me in hindsight as I was on my way to save my family from such a terrible fate, for I wanted to save them from certain death before it was too late. I had to hurry up, for I was about to be facing the dark of night soon enough and my nemesis would stop at nothing to lure me into the Factory of Death in such a petty way so far...

**To be continued...**


	12. The Shifting Tide, Part 2

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 12: The Shifting Tide, Part 2**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

The troupe from the Medical Corps watched everyone run into the path where the Factory of Death would be as they were most likely to be going up against the infamous Army of Cain that broke into Celeborn Keep three hours ago. When the leader of the troupe returned to the Medical Corps ship, he was more than ready to assess the situation and heal as many injured people he could possibly can. When he removed his hood, he was simply a stunning Half-Elf indeed as he had the look of both Winchester and MacVicker clans, but with long dark brown hair. Like me and Dad, he was tall as he stood out among the rest of the Medical Corps troupe that have been here on Earendil just in case a crisis came along, for he would soon be needed in order to help the sick and wounded if need be.

"Reuben," said the Rendilian woman with long multi-colored hair as she came into the ship. "The soldiers are on the move after what happened in Celeborn Keep."

"Paninya, I'm well aware of what's been going on so far because my pig-headed half-brother decided to jump the gun on going alone," he said sternly.

"But you and your half-brother have the same blood of John Winchester. You can't just leave him hanging, you know."

"You're right about that one." Reuben walks towards Paninya as he was feeling at the baby bump that she had in her body. "A soldier from the Medical Corps never abandons neither his or own comrade nor civilian. There's also the prospect that our sister-in-law is in extreme danger along with my older half-brother that were taken by that bastard who sold himself to Abaddon and her loyalists."

"Abaddon? I've heard of her before when she was once killed in the time of the Elder Days, but why is she doing this?"

"So far, Abaddon's not on this planet, but Severin Thrippe _is_. According to the higher-ups in the main headquarters on Alecrast, he was the one who threatened to do away with Sam by intimidating him on Orianthis during the summit. So far, he was known to attack my half-brother by whipping him twice in the courtyard and on the Executioner's Grounds. He even went so far into attacking Ippei Mitani before he once got arrested, but was later pardoned with a false document that Sylvana forged in order to get him free. Afterwards, they went towards Ippei's home just to humiliate him, but word has it that both Severin and Sylvana killed their father, Sylvanus, while he went on a mission to Harkonnen, but their presence even attracted the attention of Abaddon and Uncle Clovis' bastard son who now bears the Mark of Cain and wields the First Blade. It's such an unholy combination indeed, but there's also the Children of Azazel, who ousted Crowley from his position as the King of Hell."

"Are you saying that Crowley's been deposed?"

"He's been under house arrest since his ouster, but he's been biding his time very well until he is ready to take out Abaddon and the Children of Azazel one step at a time. As for Sam and Reiko's future offspring, they're the key into putting those demonic bastards in their place, but there will always be certain obstacles in their way. As for our duty as members of the Medical Corps, we do what we can in order to tend to the sick and injured. It's the least we can do for now."

Reuben made his point clear as he was ready to help out against the ongoing threat from the Army of Cain. Still, he had his work cut out for him as he was most likely to be going up against the ones who took Dean and Reiko at the behest of Severin. It would be a lengthy battle, but there would be danger and blood mixed in with the snow on the ground soon...

* * *

I stopped at the front entrance of the Factory of Death as I was sensing the danger that was lurking inside. My inner senses located Dean and Reiko as they were being held prisoner in the holding cells that were in there, for I had to rescue them before they fell victim to such malignance under Severin's cruelty. With Shigeru, Moro, and Totsuka catching up, they stood firm as they remained at the entrance just in case there would be danger on the outside. It was also at that moment that I saw surveillance cameras watching us as I used my gun to take them out, for I didn't want Severin to get the fact that I wasn't alone while coming here to this cold place.

"Are you sure that it's necessary to go in there by yourself?" asked Moro.

"I have to go in there alone," I said. "If I don't do this, Dean and Reiko will die."

"Dude, Severin's got it rigged in there just to trap you in order to seal the deal into jeopardizing the inner planetary system's future," said Totsuka cautiously.

"If he rigs it, then I'll be happy to destroy it. I won't let him pin me down anymore because I have more than my raw power put on display. It's also something that will eventually turn the tide someday, but I still have a long way to go so far."

"Sam, you're not alone on this one because there's more than just simple backup at your disposal here," said Shigeru. "All we are here for is to protect you from harm and if Severin's gonna pull his crap, you can use his raw power to zap him with."

"And I'll do it, too. Still, I have to face him alone, but I will bring back Dean and Reiko alive and that's a promise that I'll keep on my person."

And so, I saw Shigeru giving me the thumbs-up as I went into the entrance of the Factory of Death alone. When I entered inside, I was seeing the empty derelict collecting dust as I had my sword in my hand. I had to be on my guard as I was most likely to be fighting against Severin soon enough, for my instincts that were enhanced by my raw power were starting to kick in the moment I was in the belly of the beast. The atmosphere of the factory was old as if it wasn't used in ten years, but I had a feeling that something else happened here when I saw the SucroCorp logo plastered on the wall. It was a Leviathan factory after all as I was searching for the whereabouts of Dean and Reiko. I had to find them, but I also had a feeling that I would face my nemesis sooner or later. With my sword at the ready, I was about to face Severin as he came out into the open just simply exuberant while clapping his hands in salute.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Sam?" he said as he was ready to do his worst on me. "I knew that you would show up eventually."

"I'm here, aren't I?" I said. "Now, where are Dean and Reiko?"

"As I recall, didn't I tell you to come alone?"

"In a way, I _didn't_ come alone, but the people that came with me are all outside so we can deal this matter like men."

"You sure know how to come without any interruptions, but you're no knight in shining armor."

"Neither are _you_, Severin. As I recall, you threatened to blackmail me after you berated and whipped me on Orianthis eight months ago. I never forgot the stinging of the whipping marks on my back and I even made sure that you would even pay for your father's murder."

"My father was only doing what the Order told him to, but when I discovered that my half-wit of a half-sister was healed by one of those two strangers that appeared on Gehenna, I was also seeing that she was getting into the forbidden knowledge that was once sealed off as well. Oh, I hate her for not being pure after Father married one of the Campbells, but I also knew of his dirty little secret about me and my sister."

"According to Bobby, your father begotten you and Sylvana through your mother, who was his sister who died in childbirth, but the Thrippe bloodline was getting too rotten because of its standard into incest that cause the lineage to rot from the bottom."

"You piss-poor Winchester swine! How dare you talk about Father like he was the plague! After being part of the Order of letters like Guimar and Aru, he was put under the eye of those crackpots who paired him up with Julia Campbell, whose uncle, Samuel Campbell, has ruled as Emperor of Kaijirin since God knows when. After Aru was killed while defending the fort from a Wendigo attack, he sealed off the knowledge from the Elder days under _my _orders. Still, he was being hounded all time in which he was even pleading for Sawney Masbath to leave him alone about the climbing debt he owed over the years for not giving him any leverage."

"For your information, your father wasn't the one who plucked me and my brother out of Alecrast to begin with, for it was Sawney Masbath that made him do it so he could not only keep his job, but to make sure that we were rotting in shame since our father married our mother all those years ago. As for that 'half-wit' in question, she is also determined to stand her ground to hunt any form of monster from the Elder Days and not let another incident like the Wendigo attack occur ever again. I even saved her from being possessed by a demon when the Leviathans came in and nearly tried their best to feast on our comrades there."

"For the record, _I _was the one who told SucroCorp's CEO about the fort on Gehenna and how the remaining roster of people there would be fit for the taking. Oh, it was fun, but you and your friends came in and ruined _everything_!"

"You were the one who launched the Leviathan attack on the fort, didn't you? You even had the gall to aid Sylvana in order to kill your father when he was on Harkonnen! Your arrogance is fleeting, but it won't last long."

"Still, about that raw power... According to what Lady Abaddon told me, she sent some of her troops to keep tabs on you, but one of our ships had some precious cargo until you blew it up. It's a miracle that the prisoner lived, but he's with you while standing outside, isn't he? Also, as for Dean and Reiko, they're never gonna leave this factory because they're gonna die here. As for the raw power, however, it left an imprint on the _Shinigami_ that narrowly escaped death as well as your older brother. I told him all about the gift you put into him in which the Mark of Cain could never be transferred onto him because of it. Oh, he's gonna be pissed at you when you get him out, but first, you're gonna have to beat me."

I felt a hint of telekinesis lift me up and pin me against the wall as I saw Severin raising his right arm with such a joyous glee. I saw the Mark of Cain etched onto his skin as he was most likely to be goading me into losing control of what I worked on while training under Ippei. The thoughts of Dean and Reiko being put in harm's way made me feel more determined to save them as I broke free from the hold that I was under. In a sheer form of confidence, I attacked Severin as I was punching him in the face. In a form of retaliation, I was punched back as I didn't flinch one bit. Both of us were fighting as we were going at it in such a frozen derelict as the Factory of Death, for we would be in more of a struggle here and one of us will be the victor of our battle...

* * *

Dean was fiddling at the door as he was struggling to get free from his cell. He wanted to put a new one in Severin as he was even digging into his pockets to find a spare lockpick just to get out. When he searched into his thigh holster, he finally found a lockpick that was intact as he was ready to unlock the door to his cell. When he got the door opened, he was free as he used his lockpick to open up the door to Reiko's cell. It was a fleeting victory, but it would be short-lived as Reiko slowly got up and was ready to leave.

"Brother," she said as she crept out the door of her cell. "What's going on here?"

"We're busting out of here so we can slip by and leave," said Dean.

"Are you sure about this?"

"Sam's already here, but all I want is to tear a new one in Severin."

Reiko never seen Dean furious like that as she saw him getting ready to flee the factory and not interrupt the fight in front. Still, both fleeing prisoners were creeping away quietly as they also had to watch out for the many minions that were doing Severin's bidding. When they reached a back door exit, they noticed three demons standing in their way as they refused to budge. Just as they were about to be attacked, they noticed that several bullets were shot into the demon's heads as they fell to the floor. In a brief moment, Dean noticed Totsuka standing in front of the dead demons as he was reloading one of his guns. He was well-aware of the matter of hand, but he also knew that I was about to be led into a trap to get rid of me once and for all.

"Looks like you finally joined in the fight," said Dean.

"Dude, I took the back door just to get the drop on some of those ass-clowns," said Totsuka.

"Luckily, we got out of the cells, but there's gonna be one hell of a beatdown that's in the making."

"I hate to burst your bubble, but Severin now has the Mark of Cain etched into his skin instead of being transferred onto his body like Hideyono did."

"So, we're dealing with an imitation, aren't we?"

"Damn straight, but the Mark of Cain's like a drug in which one simply gets off on the brutal violence and killing just to keep the damn thing fed."

"Brother...," said Reiko as she noticed the souls of the demons being freed from something. "Those demons..., they were innocent souls once, weren't they?"

Dean saw the glowing souls leaving the factory as they were on their way to space. He never seen anything like it before as he wanted to find out more about what was going on in the Demon War. He even noticed Totsuka surveying the area for more possible demons that were lurking as he found them to be in pain than just getting ready to obey Severin's commands. This wasn't the first time that he heard about this before, but it wasn't the last time it came around...

* * *

**Two thousand years into the past...**

Sam was hard at work in the Order of Letters bunker as he was doing some research about what was happening since his encounter of Abaddon's dirty work four days ago. It was also at that notion that he was pondering the fact about souls being harvested to become Abaddon's slaves after seeing such misery in that abandoned convent where the soul mining happened. When he put up his research, he was also remembering the time he went around soulless as it was something that forever haunted him to the core. He felt all that guilt at that time after the Apocalypse ended as he even shot at random people that got in the way while working for Crowley and alongside Samuel Campbell three years ago. It was something that he can't shake when he got his soul back as he was even feeling the need to claw his hands up as punishment for his actions.

His anger towards Dean had gotten worse after hearing about Gadreel possessing him in order to heal him when he failed to finish the third trial as he felt the burden of more guilt being on him so readily. He not only wanted to get rid of Abaddon, but to get revenge against Gadreel for siding with Metatron while he killed Kevin as he vowed to do that in order to lift the burden he had on his person. He also had to deal with Dean's simmering addiction with the Mark of Cain he got in order to wield the First Blade, but he also had a resolve to make sure that his actions wouldn't spiral out of control. It wasn't long until he noticed Totsuka sitting at one of the tables looking into such biblical lore as he was also concerned for the well-being of both Sam and Dean altogether.

"It's a fleeting time to study, but there's also the fact that Abaddon of all people had the gall to do something like that in that town," said Totsuka.

"After what I saw in that abandoned convent, there's no telling when or where those soul factories would pop up," said Sam.

"Does Dean know?"

"I told him already, but he's too busy hanging around Crowley of all people."

"Dude, when you told me to take Crowley to one of the slug roe homes to get him away from Abaddon, he's been hitting every blood bank just to jones up on human blood as if he's enjoying the fix."

"We all have our addictions, Totsuka. I was also an addict when I got hopped up on demon blood and now I have to deal with the same fix that comes from Dean and Crowley."

"With the Mark of Cain being transferred to Dean, he's addicted to violence as if he's got this roid rage, but Crowley's addicted to human blood the moment you attempted to cure him during the third trial."

"We'll worry about that at another time, but as for the soul factories, they must be stopped."

Sam was still worrying about the time he was being soulless as he was still guilty of his actions in which he saw the same thing in that town he visited. It was something that he bore as he wanted to find and locate the soul factories that Abaddon was conducting. He didn't want any more innocent victims running around like sociopaths that intend to kill without pity as he wanted to make sure that nothing else would occur ever again the moment he finds those factories. He wanted to find Dean, but he was out at the bar right now, as he wanted to do some damage to Abaddon's dirty plans, even if it meant by bringing back the First Blade again to kill her with. In a train of thought, he decided to go it alone as he wanted to find the soul factories and shut them down for good this time.

"It's agreed, but I'm gonna have to do this alone," he said.

"Sam, if you went there by yourself, then Dean would end coming after you," said Totsuka. "It's like Kevin told you before he left with his mom to be her guardian angel when it comes to you two to work out your differences and get the lead out. With Metatron still doing his Ponzi scheme, a couple of pissed-off angels still wanting to take out Castiel, and Abaddon doing more to cement her status as the new Queen of Hell, we've got a boatload of problems here and the Middle Ground with Team Fatalist taking a backseat for a while. Those soul factories that you were talking about can be lethal, but we'll do what we can in the long run."

Sam was assured by Totsuka's words as he vowed to put a stop to the soul factories that needed to be found and shut down. It was the least he could do as he wanted to redeem himself in the end...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present...**

Totsuka ushered Dean and Reiko into one of the lounging rooms as they were hiding from any possible demons that were under Severin's command. It was the safest place they could think of as it was heavily warded with demonic sigils to keep the monsters out for a while. There were demons everywhere as they had to remain hidden here for the time being. It wasn't long until they heard the sounds of fighting coming from the lobby as it was a battle between me and Severin in which one of us would end up being the victor of this fight soon enough. Still, Dean, Reiko, and Totsuka had to toughen it out as they hid in the lounge area long enough to see Gabriel appear out of nowhere as he wanted to make sure that no one was hurt. Like Totsuka and everyone else, he wanted a piece of the action as he would even be back in the porno circuit the moment this battle was over.

"You're late, Gabriel," he said.

"Hey, I just got here after seeing those soldiers fighting Severin's goons outside," he answered.

"Mr. Totsuka, who is that man?" asked Reiko out of curiosity.

"Lady Reiko, this is Gabriel, who sometimes goes by the alias of the Trickster."

"Is he a friend?"

"He's part of the arsenal that's poised to protect you and Sam from harm, but Severin got his way just to rub the future out from the record books. Like the rest of the Order, we're going up against those demons, but the ones I killed were different."

"What the hell do you mean, 'different?'" asked Dean. "Spill it out, Totsuka; we don't have all day here."

"Abaddon and her forces have been doing this crap all over again," he said. "Once more, she's snagging souls just to create her obedient army."

Reiko remembered what I told her when she feared the worst in mind. She heard from me about how several forces that were doing business with Abaddon were doing more than just harvesting souls as it was something that she wanted to tell me about. Even Totsuka and Gabriel were concerned as they were ready to stop Severin's troops and free them from their misery as demons. It wasn't long until everyone noticed Reiko shivering with cold until she found a long black trenchcoat and cloak that was on a coatrack. When she put them on, she also noticed some boots that were insulated to handle the freezing weather when she put them on over her cold feet. It was temporary, but she also had to sit down on an old couch as she felt the weight of the twins bolting her down.

"You gonna be okay?" asked Dean.

"I'm fine, Brother, but I have a feeling that Sammy's out there alone fighting against Severin," said Reiko. "I just hope that he lives long enough to save us from this place."

"You're not the only one who's worried about him. I know that he'll pull through because he's not the type that's gonna back down just yet. I know that he's got that raw mojo in his cranium, but it's also our best shot so far."

"What about that imprint that you got from Sammy? Will it protect you?"

"To tell you the truth, I'm blessed that Sam had the gall to place that imprint of raw power inside of me because I'm gonna do more than just tear Severin a new one. I'm gonna make sure that the Demon War takes a long dirt nap in space."

"With the Army of Cain calling the shots, there's no telling when or where they'll strike next," said Totsuka. "All I'm hoping for is that someone would put the Queen Bitch of the universe in her place."

"Same here," said Gabriel as he was standing near the door. "We're here 'cause we can't let Aba-douche go in there and kill Sam and his very pregnant wife now, would we? All I'm saying is that I'm here to kick some ass and perhaps take in some action in mind."

Dean, Totsuka, and Gabriel were on hand into making sure that Reiko was alive and safe from harm. It was the least they could do as they were most likely to be venturing out into further danger in mind due to the demons that were under Severin's command...

* * *

I continued to fight it out against Severin as we were throwing punches right and left. It was a battle of fists as the intense training from Ippei was paying off in spades. I was sensing Severin's weakness as I was also going up against him with what I had on my person besides a gun and a sword. It was the raw power in my mind as I was ready to utilize it to my advantage, but I would also have a blind spot if I wasn't careful. I wanted to pin my opponent down. I couldn't let him chide me on for too long. All I could do now was to beat Severin in order to rescue Dean and Reiko in time.

"You've gotten better at your fighting," said Severin. "It's such a shame that you'll never be a match for me despite your success as an Elder of the Order of Letters."

"I'm beginning to sense weakness in you, Severin," I said. "You're starting to think that you would have the gall to trap me by using Dean and Reiko for bait. I also know that you intended to throw my wife under the bus all because of what she carries within her."

"Your deduction's correct, but sloppy, Sam! Oh, you have a blind spot because I know all your past live's mistakes! And do you know what he did? He screwed everything over just to have a so-called 'normal' life! His mistakes include, walking out on his family just to stay in school; getting high on demon blood; starting the Apocalypse; going around without no soul; being tormented by Lucifer out of revenge for putting him back in his cage; abandoning his family and friend in Purgatory; killing a prophet while being possessed by a renegade angel, and torturing other demons just to save his brother from his one-time stand as a demon."

"And what about _you_, Severin?" I stood firm as I didn't lash out in anger. "I'm beginning to see the truth within you when you and Sylvana killed your father on Harkonnen. You came there to Orianthis at the summit after you did the deed, only to have your sister forge the document into releasing you so you wouldn't rot in Belbe Citadel on Gehenna. That was also when you had the gall to whip me in both the courtyard and in the Executioner's Grounds just to break me, but your little dominance triggered the presence of Lucifer in a hallucination that became an imprint that even tortured Ippei and Shigeru. Your plan worked, but you let your guard down when you and Sylvana entered into Ippei's home just to be part of the social gathering, only to see me suffer from such misery stemming from the cruelty from both you and your father."

"Stop talking down on me!" Anger boiled up within Severin as he was itching to strike. "I'll have your head, Sam Winchester! Make no mistake about _that_!"

Without warning, I saw Severin strike me in the stomach as I fell over backwards. The pain engulfed me as I slowly got up and stood my ground. It was also at that moment when I retaliated when I punched Severin in the jaw in which he spat out a tooth that fell out of his mouth. He wasn't done yet as he was ready to strike until I finally subdued him when I sent him hurling against the wall where the SucroCorp logo stood. I was triumphant as I stood firm against my opponent in which I eventually put him in his place after what he did. Still, the fight wasn't over yet as I saw several of the demons under Severin's command arrive from all corners in which they were surrounding me with such malice.

I sensed that they were corporeal demons in which they didn't require a meatsuit to navigate in as I noticed several arrows and gunshots being fired on them. I even noticed Shigeru rushing in as he was killing some of them with Moro and Kevin following him. They were taking out Severin's forces as they were delivering the moment of victory against the Army of Cain. I was also relieved as I had my friends by my side in which they came in and put a damper of the Demon War.

"We came, we saw, we kicked ass," said Kevin as he put away his weapon.

"Does Colchuvar know that you're here?" I asked.

"He's not the only one out there kicking ass and taking names out there," said Shigeru. "We've got some people who grew a pair by putting a dent into Abaddon's plans in the Demon War."

"Sam!" cried Dean as he emerged out into the open. "I had a feeling that you'd show up."

"Where's Reiko?" asked Moro. "Is she alright?"

"Sammy!" she cried as she was being escorted by Totsuka and Gabriel. "Thank goodness!"

I walked towards Reiko as I hugged her whole-heartedly. I was glad that she was alive as I even felt the baby bump that was protruding from her nightgown she wore. I was also grateful that she and the twins were alive and safe as I was ready to leave this place. The battle was over as I was ushering everyone out of the Factory of Death. When I was about to leave the derelict, I felt the floor cave in on me as I noticed Severin with a detonating device in his hand. I was falling further underground as I sensed him surfacing. Reiko was shocked to see me fall from under as she noticed the doors close up. She was trapped at the entrance with Dean next to her as they saw the gaping hole in the floor. She was worried for me. Dean was also for worried for me. All they had to do was to hope and pray for a miracle to come out of this fight.

"SAMMY!" screamed Reiko as she had tears in her eyes.

It wasn't long until she saw Severin coming up from from the hole in the floor as he was ready to do his worst. He was furious against my friends and family as he used his telekinesis to pin Dean against the wall. He wasn't about to go down in this fight just yet as he vowed to put an end to all hope that was waiting in the wings...

* * *

I came to as I found myself in an old basement in which it was an old mineshaft once before the Factory of Death was built above it. When I sat up, I noticed that my right shoulder had been dislocated as it was hard for me to get up from the floor. With my good arm pushing me up, I used my sword to get me up on my feet as I noticed something standing in my way. It was someone that I never expected to see before as he was the same person from the flat t.v. screen.

"Hey, there, bucko; you need to get there to save your brother and lady," he said.

"Gabriel from the porno circuit, I presume?" I said as I was hurting all over. "I take it that you're not here for candy."

"Severin's gonna cream them if you don't step in and stop him or else there would be no future."

"It's far up, but I'll never cave in just yet."

"You sure changed a lot, Sam. I bet that you now earned that title, Elder of the Field, after all."

"I'm not ready to give up yet because I won't let Severin get his way this time."

"That's something that I wanted to hear!"

And so, I was ready to put a stop to Severin once again, even if my right shoulder was dislocated, as I noticed some stairs that lead all the way up to the caved lobby. It was my chance to stop my opponent as I wanted to make sure that Dean and Reiko were safe again...

* * *

Dean was struggling to break from Severin's telekinetic grip as he was still pinned to the wall. He saw Severin smiling as he was triumphant in bringing down the floor of the lobby. He was winning, despite the fact that he acted in the interests of Abaddon herself along with the Army of Cain, for he would stop at nothing to come out on top in his thirst for both vengeance and power. As for Reiko, however, she was scared as she heard banging coming from the outside of the doors. She wanted to see her siblings, Kevin, and even Totsuka to step in and stop Severin as she watched helplessly while Dean was being put through the ringer.

"You sure know how to act like a spoiled brat who loses all his toys," he said.

"And you sure know how to pull off more wisecracks the moment you sparred with me years ago," said Severin. "My plan failed because of what you Order flunkies did against me. Still, I have my powers with the Mark of Cain just to put an end to you and Reiko once and for all this time."

"I hate to break it to you, but-" Dean sees Gabriel appear out of nowhere as he goes over to Reiko's side. "-there's gonna be a time when you lose it with that Mark."

"There is _nothing _wrong with the gift I was given!"

"Oh, really? There are side effects of that thing 'cause if you let that Mark take over you, you'll end up paying the price. It's not something that you sport on or etch into your skin because that damn thing has to be fed the moment you feel the need to kill something."

"Oh, I'm gonna do you first and then that bitch of a sister-in-law you have along with her litter that your brother put his hard work into!"

Without warning, Dean felt a crushing pain flare into his body as he saw Severin use his telekinesis to crush him. With Reiko scared to death and Gabriel staring with a hint of disgust, they noticed me emerge as I had my good arm intact while my right shoulder was still out. When I saw Severin doing his worst on Dean, I had no other choice but to use my raw power to yank him away as he was sent crashing against a wall. When he turned around to see me, he was ready to do his worst when he released Dean from his hold in order to attack Reiko, who was staring at me while being escorted by Gabriel. It was his own opportunity to kill her just to see me suffer along with the archangel who came into the fight as well when he was finally in front of them. I had to step in as I couldn't let them get killed in hindsight, for my nemesis was ready to kill just to satisfy the unholy Mark that he etched onto his arm when it glowed brightly. Just as Severin was about to get his chance to do away with them, Reiko stood firm as she grabbed a piece of metal and was ready to defend herself.

"That little piece of scrap won't do any favors," he said coldly as he was ready to do his worst.

"Stay away from us, I mean it!" cried Reiko as she stood firm.

"You and your husband are a threat and I am going to weed it out!"

"For your information, buddy, if you do this, then the whole universe is screwed," said Gabriel.

"And here we have a petty archangel that was reborn after being killed in the Apocalypse. How stupid of you! Still, Abaddon and her followers will leave no trace of you because she'll bring hell here to all of you!"

"Well, buddy, I like to see you try it!"

"GET AWAY!" screamed Reiko as she felt a new power shielding her and Gabriel from harm.

The blast of raw power radiated from within my wife's body as Severin felt the sting of it up close. His right arm with the Mark of Cain etched onto it had been disintegrated as he felt blood gushing from where it had been severed. When he turned around, he saw me use my raw power lift him up as he was pushed away out of the factory doors and further away from the planet. My battle was over as I hobbled over to where Dean, Reiko, and Gabriel were at. It was a long night as I was ready to make sure that help was on the way. I even saw Dean all messed up as he had blood coming from his shirt. He was bleeding badly from being nearly crushed by Severin's power as I used my raw power to speed the healing process in him.

"You sure went through the ringer," he said as he smiled.

"You had it worse," I said.

"And what about that spoiled brat? Did he lose his binky again?"

"No, he got what was coming to him when he tried to kill Reiko and Gabriel."

"And you used your power to send him off to God knows where, didn't you?"

"Come on, we have to get out of here this time."

"Whatever floats your boat..., bitch.

"Jerk..."

I saw Totsuka arrive when the doors were finally opened up again as he had the Medical Corps troops arriving to get us out of the Factory of Death in the nick of time. We were all leaving as the long night was nearly over, for we were done for the rest of the evening. With Reiko being escorted by Gabriel while the Medical Corps came in and collected me and Dean, we left out of the derelict altogether as we were both in bad shape. Still, we were injured as we had to have some extensive work done on us, for we endured one of the most gruesome battles that we ever had in our lives. With fresh snow coming down in the night sky, we all left the Factory of Death as we later met up with Shigeru, Kevin, and Moro, who were glad to see us alive, but this memory was one in the record books so far.

"Sam!" cried Shigeru as he noticed me all banged up and injured. "Are you alright? You sure look like crap when you hit a wall."

"I'm fine, but my right shoulder's dislocated," I said.

"Where's Sis?"

"Shigeru," said Reiko as she was being escorted by Gabriel. "I'm alright. It's over for now..."

"Man, I wanna get myself a drink after all this excitement," he said as he stood firm.

"Come on, we gotta get the wounded out of here," said Kevin.

"Make that _two_ wounded from the factory," said Moro as she was staring at me and Dean, who were all banged up from our injuries. "Gramps is gonna get an earful if he gets the chance to get here on Earendil."

"Sammy...," said Reiko as she was staring at me. "You're hurt, aren't you?"

"My right shoulder's been damaged, but I'll live," I said. "As soon as we get out of here, I'm gonna end up using my good arm until my other one's repaired."

I held Reiko's hand with my good one as I was happy to be out of the factory alive, but injured. I was also feeling at the baby bump in which the twins were intact as well. It was rough, but I pulled through in putting Severin in his place after what happened here in this old derelict, but there would be far worse in the future. Our battle was over as we all left the factory entirely. The worst was also over, but there was something else that would appear out of nowhere sooner or later. It was the most troubling battle indeed, but there were more to come along the way as we were about to be preparing for more danger in hindsight...

* * *

I woke up in a hospital after being sedated and anesthetized in order to have my shoulder repaired. It had been a long night indeed as I even had my arm in a sling after what happened to me. It was also at that notion that I noticed my injured hand in a cast as it was also injured as well. Dressed in clean clothes after being bathed earlier, I got up out of bed as I saw Reiko sitting there looking after me. She was feeling the pinch of the pregnancy that she had as we saw the clock strike two in the morning, for we were both tired from our ordeal in the Factory of Death. When I sat up, I was happy to see Reiko and not let her out of my sight again as I got up out of bed in which I wanted to be at my wife's side once more.

"Brother's alive, but he's all bandaged up," she said.

"That's a relief, even though we all slept onto his actual birthday today after midnight," I said.

"Sister's here, so she won't let him out her sight yet."

"I bet that she hasn't got him any pie yet."

"It's a shame that we didn't get him any presents, but-"

Without warning, Reiko felt a stabbing pain jolt her body as she felt her water breaking. The twins were wanting to come out as I felt my heart sink. I had to do something as I pressed a call button on the wall for help to arrive. I heard Reiko crying as I was assuring her that help was coming soon enough. It wasn't long until I saw several members of the Medical Corps arrive into the hospital room with some Rendilian doctors and nurses on standby as they noticed Reiko in pain. I even noticed Reuben coming into the room as he was ready to get to work on such a delicate procedure into delivering the twins safely into the world.

"Just hold on, Reiko," I said as I slowly got her up from the chair and escorted her out the door to my hospital room. "The Medical Corps will take you to the emergency room, alright? Just hang in there."

"Sammy, what's going on?" she cried frantically.

"Hold still," said Reuben as he ushered her onto a wheeled stretcher. "Just rest up a bit." He grabs his medical scanner as he used it to probe Reiko's body. "You gotta be kidding me! Alaniel, Arteem, we got a problem here."

"What's going on here?" asked a heavy-set man with brown skin and black hair.

"Alaniel, alert the obstetrics department. We got a situation here."

"Don't tell me that-"

"The effects of the raw power has accelerated the pregnancy in Reiko."

"She needs to be taken there without delay," said an Orianthan man as he was dressed in medical garb. "She cannot last much longer in her condition."

"Arteem, we're gonna have to wing it on this operation so far."

"Wait! What's gonna happen to Reiko?" I cried frantically.

"Leave it to us, there's nothing to worry about."

I saw Reuben and the rest of the Medical Corps leave with Reiko as they were bringing her into the emergency room. With a group of Rendilian doctors and nurses with them, they were ready to get to work after scrubbing themselves just to proceed on delivering the twins. When I slowly followed them to where they went, I noticed the doors to the emergency room closed and locked as I watched Reiko being prepped for childbirth. She was in pain as she even had one of the doctors remove her bloomers and lift up her nightgown in order to spread her legs.

It was something that I saw as I felt my heart twisting up in knots while seeing Reiko slowly pushing away just to welcome the twins into the world. It was also at that moment when I saw her pushing with all her might as she felt a head coming out. With Alaniel coming in with scrubs and surgical garb, he grabbed a towel to gently push the rest of the baby out as something was about to be heard.

_WAAAAHHH!_

"It's a boy!" cried Alaniel as he took the baby after cutting the cord. "Baby number one came in at 2:45 in the morning on January 24th, which is right now."

"Thank goodness," said Reiko as she saw the baby being put in an incubator.

Still, my wife wasn't out of the woods yet as she felt a stabbing pain all over again when the second baby was ready to come out into the open. I saw the Medical Corps hard at work into delivering the twins as they were knowing what they were doing. With Reiko finally pushing out the second baby, it was caught in Alaniel's hands with a fresh towel as another cry was heard in the room.

_WAAAAHHH!_

"It's another boy!" cried Alaniel as he cut the cord and place the baby into another incubator. "Baby number two came in at 2:53 in the morning also on January 24th, which is right now again."

"Let's wrap this up," said Reuben. "Our job is done here."

I saw my twins laying in their little beds as they had both light blue hair and blond hair on their heads. I smiled as I had tears in my eyes in which I was ready to be ushered into fatherhood soon enough. It wasn't long until Dean came forward as he was all bandaged up from that awful attack in the Factory of Death in which he also saw the twins through the doors of the emergency room. We were both thankful that all was well while Reiko was being ushered into a hospital room after enduring such a procedure. I was thankful that she was alive as I even noticed the twins being taken into a nursery by one of the obstetrics team, for I would see them again soon.

"So, how's it feel to be a father?" asked Dean.

"It's something that's unexpected, but I'll manage to make sure that the future becomes nurtured," I said. "It's interesting that I see my sons born into the world, but there's also a reason in which a parent would always be there for what gets thrown head first."

"Time flies when you have fun."

"By the way, Happy Birthday, Dean, but there's no presents or pie here yet."

"I can have pie anytime, but the most badass present that I got so far is to see my nephews be put here into the world. That's what I wished for."

I got out of the way as I saw the Medical Corp wheel out the two incubators that had the twins in it. Even Dean was giving the thumbs-up on this success as we both were happy that we were all fine and okay. Even Totsuka and Gabriel were on hand to see them born into the world as they were standing firm into protecting me and my family with their lives, no matter what the danger.

"So, here they are at last," said Gabriel.

"I guess that _Casa Erotica's_ been called off," said Totsuka with a smile on his face.

"Son-of-a-bitch..."

**To be continued...**


	13. Familial Bonds

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 13: Familial Bonds**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

Severin woke up in a sickbay as he had a prosthetic limb that replaced his original right arm. It was at that moment that he was rescued in the nick of time by Sylvana, who was concerned for his safety. Both of them were hell-bent on getting me out of the way as they even sided with Abaddon of all people in this fight to keep me out of the picture. They were also reeling from the latest excursion in which all of the troops that Severin brought in were taken out by the Order's three main soldier troupes: the Hunter Corps, the Garrison Corps, and the Cross Corps. All three at the command of Colchuvar quickly turned the tide in his favor after the victory at the Factory of Death on Earendil. When Severin thought of the failure in his folly, he seethed in anger as he wanted to do me more harm than normal, but he also wanted to get revenge against the one who disintegrated his arm before he was left with the prosthetic that he had on now.

"I'll get them...," he snarled.

"Calm down, Severin," said Sylvana as she was soothing him from doing worse. "You're lucky that I found you in time after your failure on Earendil."

"Sam Winchester will pay for what he did to me! Also, that bitch of a wife will also pay for severing my arm in that old factory!"

"Abaddon was here today and she's pissed at you for inciting revenge against Sam prematurely. Be thankful that she didn't kill you just yet because we can't act too conspicuous in our thirst for power."

Severin was still seething in anger as he was most likely to be biding his time after his failed attempt to kill me and Reiko directly. Sooner or later, he would end up finding me again and to finish the job, but he had to be benched for his folly, for there would never be a next time if he would be bailed out again...

* * *

Reiko was up and about as she was walking into the nursery where the twins were. She wanted to see them after delivering them on Dean's birthday as she saw them in the incubators sleeping. When she was about to get closer to them, she saw blood dripping from the incubators until she saw me pinned to the ceiling in such a gruesome way. The sight of all of us dead made her scream until she woke up in her hospital room. It was all a nightmare as she had tears in her eyes. The fear of seeing me and the twins dead felt so real to her as she was shaking with fear and worry. To her surprise, she saw the twins next to her hospital bed as they were sleeping deeply after delivering them eight hours ago. When she saw the clock strike at ten in the morning, she noticed the fresh snow coming from outside as it was still winter here on Earendil.

It wasn't long until she saw me come into the room as I was dressed in a kimono instead of the standard hospital gown, but I had my right arm still stuck in a sling. She even noticed my hand put in a cast as I didn't let it bother me one bit. I was also seeing the sight of the twins in their little beds as they had our features. Both of them had blue stocking caps on their heads as they were newly cleaned and dressed in sleepers with tiny mittens on their hands. I was seeing them up close as I smiled warmly at them. They were our sons as they had mine and Reiko's blood flowing in their veins. They had the same genetic makeup on them as I noticed the same silver tips on their ears and the jeweled sigils on their foreheads. I was happy to help create this new life with Reiko as I noticed one of the twins yawning while sleeping in his bed.

"I trust that you slept better, Sammy," said Reiko.

"After seeing you give birth, I was gonna tell you the same thing," I said.

"It's interesting that those babies were once inside me, but now that they're out, they have light hair on their heads, but one of them has blond hair."

"It's hereditary that one of us has light hair and the other has dark hair. It doesn't matter to me because it's something that blends in."

"But you have light brown hair, but our sons would end up growing up taller when they're older."

I was holding Reiko's hand with my left one as I was glad that she lived through the delivery. She was there, but exhausted after what she went through as I noticed an i.v. drip in her arm. Still, there was also the factor that I was given the grim diagnosis about my injured shoulder and hand after tangling with Severin last night as I was given the ultimate benching due to my injury. Even though it didn't bother me, I still had my good left arm that functioned as I had a bit of a writing problem indeed. I was right-handed as I was also most likely to be using the pen with my left hand. I never did well with writing with my left hand as it rendered me difficult to do it, but I had no say in the matter as I didn't let it bother me too much. It wasn't long until I saw a familiar face enter into the room as he had Ellen with him. They were there on this planet as they were told the news about what happened in the wee ours of the morning so far. I had a feeling that Ippei would be here as he was there to see his great-grandsons that were sleeping in their little beds.

"Long time, no see, Sam," he said as he sat down in one of the chairs. "It's kind of early to see my great-grandsons out into the world, but-" He sees several gifts that were stacked next to a dresser near the bathroom. "-it's something that needs to be savored and celebrated as well."

"Grandfather," said Reiko. "What are you doing here?"

"I happened to be in the neighborhood when I came in late to this summit, but after getting an earful from Reina, it seems that there was trouble that came out of nowhere."

"It's good to come along, but there's too much gifts here in this room." I said as I noticed Ippei setting down another box that was earmarked for the twins. "All this time, I was about to prepare for their arrival in the spring, but they came in early on Dean's birthday."

"Sam, I hate to break it to you, but if you're part of the Order, then you're gonna have to observe the traditions of other planets," said Ellen. "Earendil has a rich and fertile tradition here because of all the new life that comes along. Around here of all places, it's a tradition that a new life born from the Order of Letters is to be named by the Chieftains that rule it. The Rendilian people have a tradition when one is born here, it will be given a strong name of their choosing. Just look at the names of your boys that are plastered on their beds."

I looked at the names that I saw on the beds as I looked at them carefully. The one born first was named Aora as I didn't have any problem with it, for it suited his light blue hair on his little head. When I looked at the other twin in his bed, I noticed the name, "Ghimru," on the side as it was a Rendilian word for "golden-haired." I didn't mind it one bit as I watched them fidgeting in their beds until they woke up crying. Even Reiko was grateful that they were alive as she noticed Aora fidgeting until Ellen picked him up and gave him to her. As for Ghimru, he was picked up by Ippei as he had no problem with holding him on the spot.

"These guys are not bad for Half-Elves," said Ippei.

"Still, it sucks that I can't hold them just yet," I said.

"According to the Medical Corps, you sustained injuries to your right shoulder and hand in which you have to toughen it out for four weeks," said Ellen.

"I can still use my left arm, but I will recover just in time to help out with those two right here."

I watched Reiko cradling Aora as he was starting to get hungry indeed. It was also at that moment that I watched her suckle our son as he was tasting the breastmilk that he needed after coming into the world. She was a first-time mother as she was looking at Aora while he was latching onto her nipple while sucking away. I had a feeling that the first twin had Reiko's appetite as he was finished and fully content when he got done. After Aora was fed, Reiko decided to burp him as he let out a contented belch after getting his "second breakfast." When I looked at him, I noticed his Half-Elven ears with silver tips on them as he was completely beautiful complete with his mother's light blue hair and hazel eyes. I had a dead ringer for me as I noticed my son with Reiko's nose that he inherited. When I looked at Ghimru, who was held by Ippei, I saw his blond hair that made him stand out as he even had the same silver tips on his ears like Aora did. He was also beautiful like his twin brother, but he had my eyes and nose. I was elated that they were out in the open as I wanted to be a real father to them, but the injury in my shoulder made it difficult for me to function or help out with the traditional "Daddy duties" that were on hand.

"It's a start, but I can't be incapacitated forever," I said as I felt Aora grip his tiny hand on my finger.

"But you were hurt while protecting Brother and me," said Reiko. "You can't hold them right now while standing up anyway because of your injury. It would be risky."

"I know, but according to what the Medical Corps told me after they stood on hand doing emergency surgery on my shoulder, I nearly bit a bullet when the impact of hitting the floor down there below tore it out of place. I'm not too worried, Reiko, but I can't neglect your needs or the twins, either." I noticed Aora staring at me as he had the same image of his mother. "It's gonna be a while before our sons grow up, but I'm gonna have to sit the first four weeks out due to the injury I sustained from what happened to me."

"Sam, you can't just wing it while you're healing up yourself," said Ippei cautiously. "You just can't be juggling the 'Daddy duties' with one arm right now, but at least we're here for you along the way. Also, those twins are my great-grandsons and I'll be on hand just like the rest of us, so you don't have to worry."

I sighed with a hint of relief as I sat down in a rocking chair where several boxes of diapers were stacked up. I wanted to do more as I didn't let it get me down. It was also at that moment that I used my telekinesis to gently lift Aora up out of Reiko's arms as I sent him towards me. With Ghimru next in line to be fed when Ippei gave him to my wife, I watched her feed him as he was fully content just like his brother. With me holding Aora with my good functioning arm, I saw him stare at me as he was seeing me look after him with his mother's eyes. The sight of him made my heart feel welcome as I was seeing the life that I help make with Reiko. In that moment, I noticed Aora falling asleep on my good shoulder as I didn't want to budge right now.

"You got a new friend there, Sam," said Ellen as she saw me holding Aora.

"It's strange that you see the new life here with us, but I know that I have my hands full," I said.

"You're still hurting after what you've been through to save your family from that factory in there, but you can't just shoulder the burden alone."

"I see what you mean..."

"It's something that you expect most of the time, but there are times when having children can be a blessing in disguise," said Ippei. "They may have yours and Reiko's features, but they also have that same jeweled sigil on their foreheads in which they will have the same raw power that you have."

Reiko was stunned to hear that from Ippei herself after she finished feeding Ghimru and later burped him. In that moment, she looked carefully at the second twin as he had the same jeweled sigil on his forehead like Aora and me. She also had a feeling that the raw power that was in both our sons was more than just a simple blessing as she felt that surge protect her and Gabriel from Severin's wrath in the derelict factory last night. She was also happy that the twins were born and safe as she was thankful that they were alive at last...

* * *

Dean was sitting in a chair as he was seeing Magda being scanned by one of the doctors here in the hospital. The sophisticated Rendilian technology was far more different than on Alecrast as it showed the life that Magda was carrying inside of her. Dean was stunned to see that the unborn life was intact as it was protected by something after the Army of Cain attacked Celeborn Keep yesterday. Still, he was happy that Magda was alright along with the baby inside of her as he even noticed another one that was on screen of the scanner. Like me, he was also expecting twins as he wanted to bring them out into the world sooner or later, but it had to wait. When he fiddled with the clean bandages on his chest, he noticed that he was nearly killed, but something protected him the same way. After hearing about the raw power imprint inside of him that he got from me, he wasn't worried about it as he smiled like a Cheshire cat.

"You're sure in a good mood today," said Magda as she saw Dean elated about the good news that happened here on Earendil. "You're just grinning away after you saw our nephews come out head first."

"I told Sam that I wanted to be the first one to see them in person," he said.

"And they were born here in winter on Earendil a few hours ago in the morning."

"And they were born on my birthday, too. I bet that I haven't gotten any presents, but today, I'm giving Sam and Reiko a fruit basket."

"Hey, Birthday Boy, this planet's known for its clothing in winter. I might actually get you a scarf to keep you warm."

Dean smiled at Magda as he was happy for today on both sides. Even though Aora and Ghimru were born on his birthday, he was glad that they were here as he couldn't wait to see them again soon. Still, he had his own future planned as he saw the image of the unborn twins that were nestling unharmed in Magda's womb, for they were his legacy that was already put into motion. After the scanning was done, both Dean and Magda were up as they noticed Colchuvar and Acamas coming into the room in which they were concerned about last night's battle near the Factory of Death.

"I take it that you're not here for the cake and ice cream," said Dean.

"Don't get the wrong idea," said Colchuvar. "Our troops who went in there were more than happy to put a dent in the Army of Cain's unholy plans, but Abaddon didn't plan this attack from the get-go."

"Wait, are you saying that Severin planned this?" asked Magda.

"Severin's been known to get revenge against Sam the moment he was humiliated at Ippei's house on Alecrast. Still, he's about to get a warning shot from Abaddon not to go off the deep end, but as for the rest of us, we got bigger fish to fry."

"At the wee hours of the morning, Reiko gave birth to twin boys, but she's resting like all of us, including Sam."

"We heard all about what happened to him," said Acamas. "He not only sustained an injury to his shoulder, but he also broke his hand as well in which a cast was put on it."

"Well, that's a pain in the ass," said Dean.

"By the way, Ginryu's on his way here to Earendil not only to oversee an emergency meeting, but he also wants to see the twins that Sam and Reiko welcomed," said Colchuvar.

It was work as usual as Dean was most likely to be put on protective mode in order to watch over me and Reiko. It was also the main priority of those around us that we were being targeted by those that want us out of the way as they would stop at nothing to make sure that nothing bad happens to us. It was the most they could do for us, for the Demon War was heating up without mercy or pity. We all had to take a stand against those who fear my raw power as it was something that would be a boon to the universe after all...

* * *

I was in a hospital cafeteria as I was having my mid-morning tea with a boysenberry scone. Still, I was feeling the pinch of my injured shoulder and hand as I was also finding it hard for me to write with my left hand. Grabbing the pen with the only functioning hand I had on me, I started to write my name on a piece of scratch paper as the writing itself was most likely to be the same as being right-handed. All those years ago, I mainly wrote with my right hand as I even sometimes wrote with my left, but my skills into being left-handed were like riding a bike with training wheels still attached to it. When I continued to write my name with my left hand, I noticed Shigeru come into the cafeteria as he had a tray with fresh fruit and coffee on it. Like everyone else here, he was also glad that the twins were born as he was simply celebrating with what was going on here, but little did he know was that there was a Half-Elf sitting there at one of the tables watching him, for she was part of the Rakuen Priesthood so far.

"So, New Dad, how are you holding up?" he asked as he sat down where I was sitting at.

"I've been training myself to be left-handed after what I went through," I answered.

"The members of the Order of Letters have been coming here in droves just to see those bundles of joy in there, but Sis can't get enough attention after seeing all those gifts in there. You should've seen the stuff in there: diapers, baby wipes, baby care stuff, baby clothes, safe baby toys, and the rest. It's like a treasure trove of all things baby in which you and Sis could be looking out for those two in their beds."

"I also find the twins to be cute, but it's been hard for me to do my duty as a father to help out with them."

"Hey, you took a swan dive down into the basement of the Factory of Death after Severin pulled a dirty move on you. Also, there's been traces of a the same mineral that was in that mine on Gehenna where the Leviathans were pulling that 'Soylent Us' crap a few months back. Therefore, what really happened below the old factory was that fresh tradarium was found by the bunches in which the Trade Ministers were willing to sell some of it to the highest bidders."

"There was tradarium here?"

"You should at least go and inspect that Factory of Death again to see for yourself, but not right now until you recover."

I looked at my casted hand as it was still hanging in the sling it was in. I didn't let it bother me as I was most likely to be making the best of it. I also had too much at stake as I was also starting to worry about Dirk back home on Alecrast. I had a feeling that he would be lonely until I noticed him being chased into the cafeteria by Debbie, who saw him to be a stowaway from one of the ships that got grounded here.

"Hey, you're in big trouble!" she yelled as she saw Dirk run towards me.

"But I wanted to see Sam!" he cried.

"What's going on here?" I asked. "Why are you here instead of being at home on Alecrast?"

"Actually, my class is on a field trip to many facilities where the Medical Corps are at. It's a good thing that Reiko signed my permission slip to go before she got whisked away by Castiel."

"Well, you need to get to your class!" cried Debbie as she seized him by the scruff of his shirt.

"I'll see you later, Sam. By the way, how's Reiko doing?"

"She's resting, but there's also a surprise in her room," I said.

"I'll look at it when I hook up with the rest of my class."

And so, I saw Debbie grabbing Dirk as she got him out of the cafeteria in which there was his whole class waiting for him along with his teacher on this field trip. I never expected to get a lot of surprises here as I was sipping my tea with my good hand. Even Shigeru was impressed by such great atmosphere in this hospital facility as he was too busy eating his fruit cocktail in a bowl. After he finished up his fruit, he took his dishes towards the counter near the kitchen as he saw the Half-Elf still sitting there just glaring at him. He didn't pay no attention to her as he returned to the table where I was sitting at. It was business as usual as he even saw some pies being put on display for dessert after lunch.

"I bet that Dean's gonna love the spread in the cafeteria," he said.

"Dean always had a thing for pie," I said.

"Well, isn't it Dean's birthday?"

"It's not only his birthday, but the twins were also born today."

"Hey, the birthday boy can't be left out on a day like this, but I'll make damn sure that he get his pie."

I smiled as I was thinking about what I should get for my brother on the same day that the twins were born on. I wanted to get something for my older brother as I couldn't leave him out yet. After spending all that time in the cafeteria, we left as we were on our way to see Reiko and the twins as we went towards their room with all the trimmings. It was also at that moment that I saw Reiko up and about as she finished changing Ghimru, who must have had an accident in his diaper earlier. When I saw her put back on his clothes, she carried him into his little bed as he was fully content with what his mother did for him. She was being more sufficient than ever since she gave birth to the twins as I noticed her getting back into bed after dealing with them one baby at a time.

"I take it that you're starting to recover from what those little stinkers put you through," said Shigeru.

"Ghimru is a very fussy boy, but he reminds me of Sammy," said Reiko.

"He has Sam's looks, but Aora looks more like you."

"It's a relief that they're here, but it's strange that I feel empty after giving birth."

"Take it easy, sweetheart," I said as I held her hand tenderly. "You can't do all of this too much, you know."

"But you were hurt and you can't do well with one arm."

"I can manage, Reiko, but I'm not incapacitated too much. I can do more with that raw power I have, but I can't let all this doubt get to me. My injuries may take a while to heal, but I can't let all my abilities go to waste, now could I?"

I saw Reiko smile as she was aware that I didn't lose any hope in what I had on my person. I even looked at the twins who were sleeping in their beds as I felt more blessed than ever. They were my family after all as I wanted to be there for them, for they were the future that would soon put a damper on the plans of any form of monster or radical that would pose a threat to us...

* * *

Reina was seeing the repairs of Celeborn Keep as she still had to deal with the aftermath of the attack from Severin and the Army of Cain. She was also reminded of the battle at the Factory of Death as she saw the report of the combined Corps forces that put an end to Severin's brutal plans in which revealed a spike of tradarium that appeared underneath the infrastructure of the old derelict of a factory. The rare mineral itself was a commodity as one chunk was sold to the highest bidder, but the surge of it came from something out of the ordinary. It would only be a matter of time before she would find who caused the surge of such a precious mineral to sprout up without warning, but not yet.

"I take it that you're getting more of the Leviathans' kryptonite," said a familiar face as he appeared in front of Reina. "It's a start of putting any form of threat in their place soon enough."

"Ryosuke...," she said. "You sure know how to put your nose into things where they don't belong," she said. "If you came here to see the results about the Army of Cain getting nailed, then your response came too late."

"Reina, I wasn't talking about the Army of Cain directly. I was talking about our other threat in mind that once lived in the Factory of Death ten years ago. As usual, the Leviathans have their answer into putting their factories into places that they fear to tread because of the simple mineral that is deemed to be their poison."

"Wait, are you talking about the tradarium?"

"Tradarium is highly poisonus to Leviathans, but having them squatting in places where the mineral was once kept became barren until something happened after their failed factory attempts on both here and Gehenna. Ever since SucroCorp got shut down once before ten years ago, they had the gall to wear protective gear in order to shield them from the effects of the mine that they were operating on. All the same, it was their own Achilles' Heel that brought them down when the one with raw power came in and stopped their intentions in that base inside the old mine on Gehenna months ago."

"Are you talking about Sam?"

"Of course we're talking about Sam," said a familiar reborn face as she appeared standing alongside Ryosuke. "We've been looking at this first situation that's far worse than the Demon War directly."

"So, Ryosuke, you have a Nabharim familiar who sprung up from the Middle Ground working alongside you just like Ginryu has Castiel with him. I take it that your reformed friend's no stranger to those bastards who made that factory here."

"Meg has heard about the Leviathan threat in the time of the Elder Days, but she's had her fill of them where I operate from. Sam's gonna have his hands full on this situation despite the fact that he recently welcomed the birth of his sons not too long ago. We can't sit by and let SucroCorp get their way after what we witnessed. We can't let the Demon War drag on like this. All the same, we're all family and it will _never_ end in blood where we all stand."

And so, Reina saw Ryosuke and Meg leave as she was most likely to be at the emergency meeting with the other Elders of the Order of Letters as planned. As one of the Elders herself, she was known for hearing about such crises as both the Demon War and the Leviathan threat being dangerous indeed. She had to tell me eventually as she had to see me right away, for there would be trouble looming everywhere if it wasn't stopped...

* * *

Later on in the evening, I was still in Reiko's hospital room as I was sleeping in the rocking chair near the twins' beds. I was happy with my family as I later woke up to see Dean come into the room with a plate full of pie in his hands. I smiled at him as he was simply celebrating his birthday on the same day as the twins. When he saw them asleep in their little beds, he was more than happy to have them out early than later, for he would soon teach them the ropes into becoming future members of the Order of Letters one day.

"Dude, you're dozing off in the chair past visiting hours," he said.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"It's seven o'clock and all's well here." Dean sees Reiko sleeping in her hospital bed as she was newly cleaned and dressed. "You're in here because you're worried about her, aren't you?"

"She gave birth to our sons fifteen minutes till three in the morning, Dean. I don't blame her if she's too tired after what she went through birthing Aora and Ghimru after we got back mangled from our fight against Severin. Also, you have the same birthday as them, but you didn't get any presents yet."

"Sam, the presents I got are sleeping in those little bassinets next to you. Also, I still got my pie right here." I saw Dean finish up his slice as he threw away the plastic fork and paper plate in the trash. "To tell you the truth, there's been some talk about an emergency meeting with the Elders here."

"But we've been busting our asses into escorting the delegation here, but we can't add too much fuel to the fire, you know."

Without warning, we heard Aora crying as I got up from the rocking chair and noticed him wanting a diaper change. Even though I was ready to take care of my son, I noticed Dean get out a diaper and wipes as I picked the little one up with my good arm gently and placed him on the changing table near the dresser. It wasn't long until Dean took charge and was ready to change Aora's diaper in which he was wet. He never changed one before as he was shown the ropes into having his own family come into the fold sooner or later.

"You sure didn't have one of those stinkbombs yet," he said as he took off Aora's diaper.

"He's got his mother's skin," I said as I used my telekinesis to bring over the baby powder.

"I guess this isn't your first time into changing your kids, is it?"

"If Aora's that bad, Ghimru's a lot worse."

"What does he do? Lay out a WMD with poop?" I nodded. "I bet that he gets it from _you_ of all people because you literally _crapped_ when you came out swinging as a baby."

I watched Dean finish up with changing Aora with a fresh diaper on his bottom complete with a hint of baby powder. When I scooped the little one up, I placed him into his bed as I was simply covering him up with the blanket that Ellen knitted for him. I smiled warmly as I even noticed Dean staring at the twins who were still content in their little beds asleep. We were grateful that the newest edition of the Winchester family were finally out as we were ready to bring them home back to Alecrast soon enough. I was more blessed than I ever know as I stared at the twins warmly, for I vowed to be there to watch over them along with Reiko, who gave birth to them after enduring such trouble in the Factory of Death. When I saw her wake up, she was seeing me and Dean just staring at the twins as she didn't mind it one bit. She was my wife and the mother of my sons as she was seeing them asleep in their little beds until one of them was fidgeting in his bed.

"Oh, dear," she said as she got up from her bed and picked up Ghimru. "You're in need of some attention, aren't you?" Dean and I watched her hold the other twin as she was looking at him directly with a kind face. "It's alright, my little one. Your father's here, but he's been hurt in his battle to protect me and your uncle."

"Speak of the Devil, she's a natural," said Dean as he was astonished to see Reiko take to her maternal instincts. "After all this, I bet that Magda's gonna be carrying her load swinging."

"I bet that you're gonna be stuck with girls your whole life," I said.

"Well, you and Reiko are gonna be saddled with four boys and four girls."

"They're not even born yet, but it takes time to bring them out into the world."

"Anyway, let's sure hope that we're all intact and in one piece 'cause we're in over our heads when it comes to making sure that we protect the future."

We were here in the hospital room as we made sure that Reiko had lots of company after visiting hours, for we were also injured ourselves. When I got up, I saw the snow outside as it was billowing in the wind due to a blizzard that came here on Earendil. Even though it would be tough to get back home on Alecrast, I had to endure the weather here in my temporary home as I also had to deal with my new status as new father. Staring at my sons, who were getting more attention than all of us put together, I was glad that they were born as they were the best thing that ever happened to all of us so far...

* * *

Totsuka was in his own room at an inn as he was newly cleaned and dressed in his nightclothes. After enduring a battle against the Army of Cain, he was itching to make his weapons that were made for subduing monsters as he also had a resolve to protect me and my family from harm. Just as he was about to go to bed, he heard music in the bathroom as he got up and went towards the ruckus. By the time he got in there, he saw Gabriel in the tub taking a bubble bath as he was listening to "Rubber Duckie" on a stereo that was on the wall. It was the most bizarre punchline that ever came to pass as Totsuka never expected the archangel to just sit there lounging around in the bathtub with bubbles billowing all over the place.

"Dude, you've gotta pick some relaxing music in here," he said.

"C'mon, I earned it after seeing the biscuits in the oven take charge and take off Severin's arm," said Gabriel. "At least that douchebag's out of the picture for now, but it's been hectic after hearing about the head honcho of the Order coming here for an emergency meeting with the Elders."

"Hey, Ernie, you better get your ass dressed 'cause we're gonna be expecting company here and it's not just for the early baby shower."

Gabriel was stunned to see Castiel and Yashamaru appear out of nowhere as they were aware of the birth of the twins. Their work was now doubled as they were most likely to be watching over me and my family in which there would be more demons, Leviathans, and other radicals who would pose a much bigger threat after what happened earlier today.

"Hey, get a room, will you? I'm trying to enjoy my bubble bath," said Gabriel as he was getting irritated. "Has it ever occurred to you that you gotta have a little privacy for once?"

"Get dressed, Gabriel; we have work to do," said Castiel.

"You're no fun, Brother. I bet that Dad had other things on his mind, but-"

"The Army of Cain now knows about the birth of the twins already," said Yashamaru.

"Yeah, but they couldn't wait to come out after charging up in Reiko's womb just to disintegrate one of Severin's arms in the process."

"We have to strike fast before it's too late," said Castiel sternly. "As of now, Severin will launch an attack on a much bigger scale, but we have something else that is rare in mind."

"Wait, is it about the old mineshaft that was boarded up under the old factory?"

"The place itself was once an old tradarium mine before its resources were depleted centuries ago," said Yashamaru. "Over time, a factory had been built nearly eleven years ago by SucroCorp until the Order stepped in to shut it down. Still, tradarium is a metal that is deemed to be poisonous for Leviathans in which they wore protective gear to prevent them from inhaling the fumes of the mineral that is certain to be rare. It's been said that tradarium can also appear when the chosen one born with raw power becomes near."

"Holy crap! So, Sam's a beacon that makes that crap grow?"

"Tradarium is also a highly prized mineral that goes for the highest bidder," said Totsuka. "There was also a legendary story in which the one born with raw power will unite the planets of all four planetary systems who house the Order of Letters and vanquish the darkness within. It's something that got packaged the moment we all got thrown into this tale that occurred in a galaxy far, far away."

And so, Totsuka, Castiel, and Yashamaru left the bathroom as they left Gabriel alone to drain the bathtub and dry off with a towel. At that moment, the archangel got dressed in his usual clothes that consisted of a grey t-shirt, teal flannel shirt, black trousers, socks, boots, and a brown trenchcoat. When he went out the door of the bathroom, he was ready to go as he was about to check up on the actions until something else appears in the hotel. There was a woman with long black hair as she was dressed in winter garb along with a man with light teal hair and purple eyes. They meant business as they were aware of what was going on in the inner planetary system indeed.

"Speak of the Devil, it's the fab four," said the man as he sat down in a chair.

"Akio Ashizoka, I presume?" said Castiel. "Your response is prematurely adequate, but needed."

"We know all about it, Castiel," said the woman. "I see that my brothers aren't here yet, but their 'pets' have come here to wait for them."

"We have no quarrel with you, Shion Ashizoka, but we have the Army of Cain to deal with," said Yashamaru. "Last night's battle against Severin Thrippe's forces was a precursor to an all-out war against Abaddon, the Children of Azazel, and perhaps the Leviathan threat that is also a problem here as well."

"I know very well of those scum that swam out of a certain _someone_ in here from the Elder Days, but it's gotten rampant since SucroCorp got shut down nearly eleven years ago and on the day of the emergency meeting is the anniversary of how it once got terminated. I'm no stranger to dealing with Leviathans because where I come from, they hide in plain sight just to turn the human population of the Triple Planets of Shiganshina, Trost, and Stohess into their personal food supply. It's a triple threat, but we have to be on board here or else we'll end up losing the Ashizoka System's only hope in the process."

"Shion," said Totsuka. "It's not just the Leviathans that are the problem, but we're dealing with Abaddon and the Army of Cain in which we have to prep ourselves in the fight before we all get our asses kicked by her."

"He's right about that one," said Akio. "It's gonna be one hell of a fight, but not if we kick ass and take names first. Besides, we do what we do best by saving people and hunting things and it's also the family business in mind. Also, Sam's gonna have to get past his injuries in order to keep our foes at bay, for going into a fight's no picnic, either."

And so, the emergency meeting was about to commence as it was most likely to be ready in the wings. As the people in the hotel were about to get back to Celeborn Keep as planned, they noticed Ginryu coming here as he was being accompanied by Ryosuke and Meg, who were also there on hand to go up against the triple threat that was looming in the process. The ongoing dangers that loomed were no swim in the kiddie pool as there would be further dangers in sight. Everyone had to be ready as the battle to protect me and my family was already beginning in hindsight.

"So, the gang's all here," said Gabriel as he was seeing all of the people here on this emergency meeting. "Looks like we're gonna have more than just Sunday Dinner."

"We got here just in time, but our timing was bad," said Ginryu.

"So, you made it after all," said Castiel.

"Ginryu's the only one who showed up late," said Meg as she was looking at Castiel. "Long time, no see, Clarence. I missed you."

"The sex talk can wait, but as of now, we have to be there at our meeting," said Ryosuke.

"Hey, I have standards, but at least I also have my part to play in this fight against the Army of Cain."

"We all have a stake in this," said Totsuka. "Besides, Sam's been busting his ass into having too much on his plate, but we're in the driver's seat so far. It's fleeting that all of us are here and that includes Castiel..., unless he plays the role of the pizza man..."

Totsuka smiled at that notion he talked about as he also had a stake into making more weapons that were fit into putting a dent into evil. Still, he was with the four Ashizokas along with Castiel, Meg, Gabriel, and Yashamaru as they were all ready to step into further danger that was all over the far reaches of space so far...

* * *

I was in my own hospital room as I was busy looking at a vast astronomy book that I found earlier. It was something that kept me occupied as I was still nursing the injuries that I had on me. To my surprise, I found the image of the two other planetary systems that were different from the inner and outer ones. The planetary system to the west had twelve planets and two suns as it had peculiar names and descriptions on them. The first planet, Otomo, was closest to the sun as it had its usual shield around it to protect the inhabitants of it from burning. The second planet, Jindara, was a place that resembled a tropical rainforest. The third planet, Westeros, was like Alecrast and Drakonus as it was the main seat of the western planetary system. The fourth, fifth, and sixth planets were known as the Triple Planets due to the abundant human population that had the names of Shiganshina, Trost, and Stohess. The seventh planet, Albarn, was a place that resembled Kaijirin, but it was a more like a place of vice all over. The eighth planet, Midaris, was known for its abundant minerals and metals in which had a trade agreement with Jindara. The ninth planet, Nedegratys, was a place of science as it was also a place for thinkers and scholars. The tenth planet, Maugrim, was a place that was known for having the same atmosphere as Earendil. The eleventh planet, Mirkos, was a frozen place, but its inhabitants had a rich history for being hunters and warriors. And finally, the twelfth planet, Tongpu, was another frozen planet, but it was rich in minerals indeed.

I found the history of the planets in the western planetary system to be fascinating as I would soon tell my sons about them when they would be older, but not yet. When I looked at the eastern planetary system, it was far different as it had the same twelve planets like all the rest. The first planet, Barad Dur, was closest to the sun as it was mainly a planet of volcanoes. The second one, Dorne, was a place that had a warm climate that made it a huge tourist spot. The third planet, Valinor, was the main seat of the eastern planetary system as it was like Alecrast, Drakonus, and Westeros. And there were the triple planets of the eastern system as it consisted of the names, Targaryen, Lannister, and Baratheon. The seventh planet, Efrafa, was a place full of trees and streams, but the inhabitants had problems with dealing with monsters from the Elder Days. The eighth planet, Gondor, was a planet that had a rich culture complete with trees and towers. The ninth planet, Rohan, was a place where it was known for its archery and equine legacy. The tenth planet, Minas Tirith, was a place that also had towers as it was known for its white enclave. The eleventh planet, Shakaho, was a wintry planet, but it was also a place that was known for its rich history of warriors. And finally, the twelfth planet, Cirith Ungol, was a place with towers, but it had a cloak of winter all over it as well.

I was seeing the whole planetary system that went beyond our borders. I was enthralled by what I would see to believe as I wanted to explore more about the whole picture. By the time I put away the book, I was about to go to bed until I heard the door burst open. It was at that moment that I saw the Half-Elf from the cafeteria earlier as she was hell-bent on looking for something or someone in mind.

"Excuse me," she said as she was standing in front of me. "Where is Shigeru Mitani?! Where is he?!"

"He's not here," I said.

I was about to hear it from the horse's mouth sooner or later as I had another problem on my hands. Still, I had to deal with it like any other thing I had to get by on, for I would find out about it sooner or later...

**To be continued...**


	14. Shigeru and the Nightclub Dancer

**Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 2**

**Chapter 14: Shigeru and the Nightclub Dancer**

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own _Supernatural_ because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

**Three Years Ago...**

Shigeru was on his way to the Kingdom by the River on Alecrast as he was about to be married to a beautiful princess of its realm. It was a match that was destined by the Rakuen Priesthood as he couldn't turn it down. Just a week ago, he saw the image of the woman that he was about to marry as she had black hair and purple eyes, for she was the most beautiful thing that he ever set his eyes on. When he got into the palace grounds, he was about to be greeted by a troubling surprise in mind as he noticed that something was wrong indeed. When he went towards his bride's room, he noticed that she was gone as the place was empty. He has never been stood up before as he noticed that there was a piece of paper on the floor in which he picked it up. It was written in Latin as it signified that someone has "bought" her and made it clear not to allow anyone to pursue.

Shigeru was not too happy to see something like this on the day before his wedding as he heard footsteps approaching. Turning around, he saw a woman and man appear as they were armed with guns and swords in their hands. They were the cousins of the princess as they were not too happy with Shigeru coming here just to collect her from the Kingdom, for they made a deal that would end up having their souls put towards Hell in the making.

"What the hell are you doing here?" asked the woman as she drew out her gun.

"I wanted to collect my bride, but she's gone," answered Shigeru.

"We know who you are, Shigeru Mitani," said the man as he drew out his sword. "You're the grandson of that High-Elf who resides in the Order of Letters."

"Tsukitama and Tsuchikuro, I presume? I take it that you did something to Futaba, didn't you?"

"Futaba's been sold to a tradesman from Kaijirin and you'll never see her again."

"What kind of tradesman?"

"You'll never know because he's been incognito for a while," said Tsukitama as she was ready to fire directly at Shigeru. "Still, no Elf will ever inherit the Kingdom by the River because it will always be a place for humans alone."

"Your uncle was close friends with my father once, but-"

"Oh, I'm sorry," said Tsuchikuro as he was ready to strike. "Has it ever occurred that you still have the elephant in the room that looks like a man with ratty clothing?"

"Stop telling me this! That fiend nearly killed me after I endured a terrible bout of insomnia all those years ago, so don't even go there!"

"I hate to break it to you, but you will never be welcome here in our kingdom, do you hear me?!" cried Tsukitama. "You'll never have my uncle's kingdom and you'll never have Futaba! All you will ever have is that fiend that stalks you everywhere you go!"

Without warning, Shigeru saw several guards pointing their guns and swords at him as they were poised to kill him on sight. It was also at that moment that he grabbed the flower hairpin that was on the vanity as he left the room and was sprinting for his life. He was running out of the Kingdom as he made it out the door and out of the gates. In a moment of misery, he vowed never to go near the Kingdom by the River ever again as he saw the guards and soldiers standing in front of the gates. He had never been hoodwinked before as he wanted to leave quietly out of Alecrast until he saw a familiar nuisance appear out of nowhere.

"It's been a while, Shigeru," he said as he was standing on a rock. "I bet that you got gypped by your future bride for someone more macho, but you can talk to me, can't you?"

"Go suck it, Lucifer," he snarled. "I almost got killed in there after finding my bride gone."

"Oh, it's just a simple girl; it's no big deal."

"It _was_ a big deal! The Rakuen Priesthood set me up with her just to maintain order of possible bloodlines that would work! Now that Futaba's gone, I don't have a snowball's chance to face my possible future in the Order of Letters now, but I doubt that they would want me around while ducking the radar of the ones that are eager to put me into a shotgun wedding."

"Hey, you could at least have a little debauchery while you're at it. Anyway, there are all sorts of fish in the sea anyway."

"Go away, Lucifer. I don't need you to badger me right now!"

And with that, Shigeru saw the annoying nuisance disappear as he was alone for a long time. The moment of him being stood up didn't try to bring him down as he vowed to duck the radar of the Rakuen Priesthood while he did what was best, for it was hunting monsters that harmed the innocent as he vowed to redeem himself one slow step at a time, even if it meant to be celibate over the years...

* * *

**Present Day...**

"Excuse me," cried the Half-Elf as she she was standing in front of me. "Where is Shigeru Mitani?! Where is he?!"

"He's not here," I answered.

"I know who you are, Sam Winchester and I know that you worked with him while you found him on Gehenna several months ago!"

"I take it that you're Marthona Ross, I presume? Come to think of it, visiting hours are over, so I suggest that you find another time to speak to me."

The intruder didn't budge as she was determined to get Shigeru come hell or high water if she could. In a sense of dread, I found Marthona to be intimidating as she was known as the Lethal Virgin who remained celibate in order to be part of the Rakuen Priesthood, for she would stop at nothing to get her prize to marry his jilted bride sooner or later.

"I take it that you bear a grudge against Shigeru because of something he did," I said.

"Three years ago, Shigeru walked away from his bride on the day before the wedding," said Marthona as she was refusing to budge. "It was also said that he finally signed up to be a member of the Order after all since he fled his exile on Gehenna. I commend you into bringing him out into the open, but I suggest that you bring him to us for questioning."

"According to what he told me, he's off at a nightclub celebrating the birth of my sons, but he's not a big fan of alcohol. All the same, he likes the sight of beautiful women dancing on poles."

"That philandering son-of-a-bitch! I'll kick his ass!" I saw Marthona leave my hospital room as she turned around and faced me. "And by the way, thanks for the information."

I saw the Half-Elf leave as I was feeling a hint of guilt wash over me. I never wanted to sell Shigeru out like that as I had a bad feeling that he would be in over his head if not careful. Still, I had to go and defend him as I left my hospital room and went out the door fully clothed with boots, an overcoat, and a scarf. I didn't have time to dress warm enough as I left the hospital and went towards the district where the entertainment was going on in droves. I had to get to Shigeru directly, for there would be a nasty welcoming from Marthona if he wasn't careful...

* * *

Shigeru was enjoying his root beer float as he was grateful that Aora and Ghimru were born while he was living it up at the Lilac Lounge. The place itself was clean as it had several tourists from all over the system simply living it up or perhaps going for the entertainment that was about to appear in hindsight. It was at that moment that Shigeru saw a familiar dancer appear as she was the same one he saw on Kaijirin. She was the same one that was dancing at the bar as she was dressed differently in white lingerie and white costume wings along with white stockings and stilettos. Shigeru didn't know what to think as he watched her dance to another random K-pop tune. He didn't take his eyes off of her as he watched her pull out her dance moves on stage. It was deja vu to him as he wanted to see the dancer just shake it until the song was over.

By the time the dancer was finished, she took a bow as she stepped down off of the stage and was sitting next to Shigeru, who was still sipping at his root beer float. He never expected the same girl with the same short hair to sit next to him as she also saw him to be something for to her. They were most likely to be sparking a huge conversation as they were in the bar just taking a load off, but there would be something else in mind when the time was right.

"I take it that you enjoy women dancing," said the dancer as she ordered a ginger ale.

"It's my downtime," said Shigeru. "I just got the huge load of my two nephews just a couple of hours ago."

"You're a smooth talker, aren't you?"

"Damn straight, but after three years of hunting things and saving lives, I'm most likely to be upping the ante in my place in the same group that Gramps put me in."

"The Order of Letters?"

The dancer looked directly at Shigeru as she remembered him long ago. It had been a long time indeed as she now knew he was here to marry her at last and get her out of the rut she was in. She was seeing him for the first time since their encounter on Kaijirin as they were also about to draw suspicion on all sides. Somehow, he had a reason to have his time with her as he also saw Marthona come into the bar. The Half-Elf from the Rakuen Priesthood was coming the bar for him as she would stop at nothing to make him answer for his mistakes.

"There you are!" she yelled. "Shigeru Mitani in the flesh! It's about time that you came back to your place in the Order after exiling yourself three years ago!"

"Marthona Ross...," he said. "You never give up in your search to justify your actions, do you?"

"You sloughed off your opportunity the moment you dumped your bride three years ago! How dare you do that?! How could you walk away from your destined match after all that planning?! The Dominus from the Kingdom by the River has suffered much worse since his niece and nephew took over! And for _that_, you threw away _everything_!"

"Let me remind you that I _didn't_ throw away everything because when I got there, my bride was already gone in which she was sold to a tradesman."

"Liar!" Marthona draws out her sword as she was about to cut at Shigeru. "You ditched Futaba so you could live freely without any cares or worries! I bet that you won't live to see her emerge again 'cause I'm gonna cut more than just your hair!"

When Marthona was about to strike, Shigeru noticed me standing in front of him as I didn't want the member of the Rakuen Priesthood attempt to kill him on the spot. Anger seethed within her as she wanted to kill him for running off on his marriage until the dancer stepped to intervene. She didn't want any violence here as she was aware that there were innocent people and customers here. There was also the matter of Shigeru's folly to see to as I had to resolve this peacefully.

"You shouldn't make too much noise in front of the customers," she said as she stood by Shigeru's side. "It's bad for business just to burst in here in order to kill people."

"Get out of the way, harlot!" yelled Marthona.

"I won't let you kill Shigeru!"

The crowd gasps as they were all staring at him and the dancer. Shigeru was staring at the woman who came to his defense as he wanted to make sure that she didn't get hurt in the process while enduring another bout of Marthona's wrath. It was also at that moment that I sensed something radiating from both my friend and the nightclub dancer that stood in his defense, for they were the ones who were destined to rule the Kingdom by the River on Alecrast, but what will happen next?

"Well, I guess that there's more where _that_ came from," said Shigeru.

"You shut your mouth, adulterer!" yelled Marthona. "I'm not finished with you yet!"

"You don't know who I am, do you?" said the dancer. "I am the betrothed of Shigeru Mitani!"

"You're not a part of _anything_, whore! I bet that you're not even a virgin, are you?"

"Marthona!" I yelled as I was standing there defending Shigeru and the dancer. "That's enough out of _you_! I know who the dancer is now. Her name is Futaba Momotora of the Momotora Clan, who are a group of humans who live in the Kingdom by the River. I don't know the rest of the details about what really happened between them, but I know that they are next in line to rule the realm that I speak of. As a member and an Elder of the Order, I will officiate the wedding between them and I'll make sure that they fulfill their destiny into toppling the false rulers of the Kingdom by the River."

Marthona was speechless as she heard me stand out despite the injury on my shoulder and hand. I had to pull a slick one as I was about to officiate my second wedding soon enough. It was twelve in the morning as business hours were extended until two in the morning in which I had to have all that time to get Shigeru and Futaba hitched in order to get them propelled to their true purpose soon enough...

* * *

After our skirmish in the lounge, I led the way as I directed Shigeru and Futaba into a hotel that had a romantic setting in it. With my some of my stipend paying for a room to officiate the private wedding, I noticed a familiar face operating the hotel in which it was the same man who owned the Red Rose Inn on Gehenna. Yes, he was there, but he wanted it to let it slide as he remembered being possessed by a demon, only to be saved at the last minute before our departure. I was most likely to be making sure that Shigeru and Futaba were ready to say their vows as I led them into their room, which was known as the Honeymoon Suite. The place itself had a heart-shaped bed with red blankets on it as it was the kind of thing that was made for romance so far, for Shigeru and Futaba would be more than ready to get it on afterwards.

"Nice bed," said Shigeru as he sat down on it. "It's more like something that Cupid would be sleeping in."

"Hey, you're gonna need it after I officiate your private nuptials," I said.

"I take it that you're new in the Council of Elders, aren't you?" said Futaba.

"I'm the only Elder with the jewel on my forehead, but that doesn't mean that I can't do my job correctly." I saw something being slipped into the hotel room as I later picked it up and opened up the package. "Well, I guess that you're gonna put a ring on it after all." I saw the two decorated rings that were made from Rendilian gold and diamonds as I was about to do my work as an Elder of the Order of Letters. "Shigeru, do you take Futaba to be your lawfully wedded wife; for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part as long as you live?"

"Come again?" he asked.

"You're getting cold feet on your short wedding reception, but if I don't do this, I'll have Marthona to deal with and we all know that the Lethal Virgin is known to have such a very short fuse, which she demonstrated earlier tonight."

"Alright, I'll take the hot burlesque dancer, end of story."

"Futaba Momotora, do you take Shigeru to be your lawfully wedded husband; for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, till death do you part as long as you live?"

"I do," she said.

"Now, with these rings, you will wear them as a symbol of unity within the both of you." I watched Shigeru and Futaba put their rings on. "Now, by the power invested in me by the rest of the Order of Letters, I now pronounce you two husband and wife. You may now kiss... the burlesque dancer sitting next to you."

I watched Shigeru kiss Futaba on the lips as he wanted more of her after that. When I left the hotel room, I noticed a strange man with neon green hair standing next to the door as he was hearing the ceremony word for word. I never seen him before as he was also a man that was dressed in a dark grey suit with a purple shirt, for he wasn't human in which I noticed him being inquisitive at what I had did in order to bring Shigeru and Futaba together on a whirlwind of a night after the birth of my twins, for he was watching over us like any other celestial being who ventured from place to place.

"Sam Winchester, I presume," he said as he stood firm. "I take it that you finally got Shigeru and Futaba together after doing my work into keeping her safe."

"Who are you?" I asked. "Are you an angel?"

"My name's Taraniel and yes, I'm an angel of the Lord. It's nice to see you doing your duty as a man who excelled from servant to Elder in such a short time for a human."

"You watched me officiate Shigeru's wedding, didn't you?"

"Someone had to see it, but at least Lady Futaba's far away from the scumbag who bought her just to have her soul taken out of her."

"Who was he?"

"The tradesman who bought her had it coming when I was seeing him taking virgins just to extract their souls in order to be converted into demons. In the end, I took him out after I heard about his dirty dealings with Gonzalo Arredondo, also known by his underlings as _El Jefe_."

"The one who orchestrated the arrangement of those people who died in that boxcar in the Southern Stride on Alecrast?" I was remembering the incident of the fallen souls who lost their lives down in Kaldur as I had a feeling that I would be hearing more about the dirty dealings of the infamous _El Jefe_ and his famous clients. "That man has close ties with the Coyotes, but he's also got close ties to Abaddon as well."

"In the three years prior of protecting Futaba after that, she decided to hide her identity and posed as a burlesque dancer for a while, only to see Shigeru in intervals. Every once in a while, she sees him, but he doesn't recognize her due to the fact that he still faces the wrath of her cousins along with one of the descendants of Ennis Ross on the spot. Still, Futaba steered clear under the radar of _El Jefe_, but his goons have been stealing innocents that mingled in the melting pot of souls, but the ones from virgins are the most powerful."

"So, you wanted Futaba to be with Shigeru after all, didn't you?"

"I did all I can for now, but if any of those demons or perhaps Futaba's cousins come here, they'll show no mercy to the newlyweds, I can tell you that. As for the soul harvesting practice, I suggest that you shut it down before it gets worse."

I was reminded of the factor of what occurred in Kaldur as I had a feeling that there would be no end into stopping the infamous soul factories that were going on all over the galaxy. I was also now aware that the Demon War had gotten a lot deeper than normal, but there was also the fact that several tradesmen had sold their souls to harvest souls in order to convert them into demons just to add into the growing Army of Cain. It was more than enough to protect Shigeru and Futaba from certain death as I also had a feeling that they would end up being targeted by something worse in mind. When I saw Taraniel disappear without a trace, I heard footsteps approaching as I turned around and saw Reuben and his troop in the Medical Corps standing in front of me. He was certain that I would be here as I was about to be dragged back to the hospital sooner or later.

"You fled the coop, Sam," he said as he wasn't too happy with me.

"I fled because of the fact that Shigeru needed my assistance," I said.

"You may have bit the bullet after taking a fall that incapacitated your right shoulder and hand, but I won't let you leave a second time."

"Fine..., I'll go on my merry way."

And so, I followed Reuben and the Medical Corps troops as I was about to go back to the hospital as planned. Still, I had my work cut out for me as I performed a wedding that was in a hotel room, but there would be a time when I would be called out on the field sooner or later...

* * *

Shigeru was in the bathroom getting a shower as he was cleaning himself off. He was preparing to lose himself before the night was over as he noticed Futaba coming into the stall where he was. She was naked after stripping off her lingerie as she decided to join him in there. The very sight of her drove him wild as he was starting to feel more in tune with the nightclub dancer that he saw earlier. When he saw her clean herself off, she was ready to lose herself to him as she felt her short hair droop to her shoulders while under the shower nozzle. After the both of them were clean, they turned off the shower as they decided to get it on in there anyway.

Shigeru began to kiss Futaba's soft lips as he was even touching at her large breasts. He was seeing her in all her glory as he was also ready to turn on the shower again. He was ready to keep her as he decided to take her eventually when he felt his member hardening up. He was giving her more pleasure than normal as he set her on the bench part in the shower stall and spread her legs open. It was also at that moment that he finally breached her defenses by going in deep inside of her. The feel of being in there made him become welcome as he was thrusting inward and outward. He heard Futaba moaning as she wanted more from him. Carrying her onto the shower floor gently, he was on top of her as he was even fondling at her soft breasts.

The cries of pleasure was more than enough to keep Shigeru sated as he was giving more than his all in the shower. He was getting used to it as he was about to slow down in the form of his climax. He saw Futaba aching for his touch as she let out a cry of orgasmic pleasure that sent him spewing out his livelihood in one fell swoop. He was done as he pulled out of Futaba in which he saw the virginal blood and semen flowing beneath her legs. He did his duty as he got up and turned on the shower again in order to clean his new wife up.

"It's interesting that we did this without any of my father's counselors knowing about it," said Futaba. "It's also my first time, too."

"It's my first time just to shed my own virginal coil, but at least we don't have to hear Marthona bitch about me going anywhere," said Shigeru.

"This Marthona... Is she the one that was angry at you?"

"She's one of the members of the Rakuen Priesthood and a descendant of Ennis Ross from the Elder Days. She's also someone that doesn't take no for an answer when it came to me dodging the bullet too many times."

"And what about the Elder who officiated our wedding not too long ago..., did he go home?"

"He probably got caught by the Medical Corps and got sent back to the hospital, but I have a feeling that he'll bounce back the moment he gets his other arm working. At least he's there just to make sure that we all function fine until we are called to service again."

It was at that moment that Shigeru was finishing up as he cleaned up Futaba so nicely. After rinsing off, they dried themselves off with towels as they put them into a hamper and left the bathroom. When they got into their heart-shaped bed, they fell asleep in each other's arms as they were complete at last, for they would be having their own destiny to be paved in stone soon enough...

* * *

**One Year Ago on Atreides...**

Shigeru was on his way towards one of the cities on Atreides as he was wrapping up a hunting mission. Most recently, he was busy saving people and hunting things as he also wanted to catch the night life while he was over there. When he got to the city of Darugu, he was noticing it to be quite a clean one as it also had some decent casinos and _pachinko_ parlors there as well. In time, he used his luck very carefully as he was going into one of the casinos just to play on the slot machines. He utilized his luck with all the sharpness he had as he hit the ones that were deemed to be right on the money. With the four slot machines that he picked, he won jackpot on all of them as he was lugging his winnings with style. He was on a roll as he decided to check out the entertainment that was going on so readily until he saw a stunning burlesque dancer appear out of nowhere all dressed in a skimpy nurses' outfit with red stockings and white high heels.

"Hello, nurse," said Shigeru as he saw the dancer getting ready to perform.

The outfit that the dancer wore screamed sexy as Shigeru was staring at her with the look of such desire to give her some of his coins before all of it was over. With the start of a random K-pop song playing, the dancer was putting on her moves as she was simply strutting out in full motion. Shigeru was simply smitten by what he saw on stage as he saw the dancer pull off some sexy moves that stunned the customers that were watching her. The very sight of her put him on edge as he saw her come closer to him and kissed him on his lips. It was at that moment that he was most likely to see her again soon, but it would take a long time before all of that would ever happen again...

* * *

**Meanwhile, back in the present...**

Shigeru woke up as he was feeling the need to make love to his new wife as he saw her sleeping beside him. His quick wedding and consummation of his marriage was something that was cemented onto him as he saw Futaba get up and stared at him. She was no longer a virgin as she was staring at Shigeru in which they were now together at last after three years of being apart for so long, for they would be a part of a destiny that would soon turn the tide of what would happen next.

"Oh, what a night," said Futaba as she saw the fresh snow falling from outside.

"Last night was a bitch, but at least a certain _someone_ came in and married us off at the last minute," said Shigeru. "I bet that after this, you're gonna put away your lingerie and get some normal clothes on, aren't you?"

"Shigeru, my work as a burlesque dancer paid well, but the guy who protected me had told me that I had to remain virginal so I could see you again."

"You're the real deal after all, but-"

"The guy who protected me was an angel. He even said that he was part of the garrison in Heaven once before hiding away from his superiors."

"That explained the package of wedding rings that were given to us, but he's probably friends with Castiel of all people."

"This Castiel..., Taraniel told me all about him once, but that was when we had to leave again to this planet."

"I'm beginning to remember the times I saw you now. On Atreides on a hunting mission, I watched you dressed in a skimpy nurse's outfit that made me want you to play doctor. There was also that time that I noticed you on Kaijirin, but I was busy babysitting Gramps of all people."

"It was when Crowley was here, but I don't think he's out and about anymore according to some of the people that saw me in my line of work."

"Crowley's been in the slammer the moment he got ousted, but he's simply biding his time in order to reclaim his status as the King of Hell again. By the way..., as for _you_, I'm wanting you to get into your nurses outfit again when we get back to Alecrast."

"I bet that you're gonna see me in my lingerie, but not in the public anymore because I want to shed that image I had out of the picture. It's the least I could do in order to maintain a much normal position in mind. I might want to grow out my hair the way it was before it was cut short to hide my appearance. All I want is some normalcy after hiding out for three years."

"And you shall get it... Besides, you can't hide away forever from what you truly are on both sides because of the fact that you've got something that could turn the tide."

In that moment, Shigeru got up as he was dressed in his clothes. As for Futaba, however, she was ready to get back into her lingerie until she saw fresh underclothes and a lavender kimono on a chair. When she got dressed, she looked plain, but she had a feeling that she would be scrutinized because of her work as a burlesque dancer for the past three years. She may have decided to give up on the dancing business on the outside, but her true destiny was waiting for her the moment she was about to return to the Kingdom by the River on Alecrast. By the time that Shigeru and Futaba were about to leave, they saw Taraniel standing there as he was now aware of what went on, but he didn't let it get to him due to the fact that he wanted to make sure that neither one of them would come to further harm from what would be going after them.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Mitani," he said as he sat down in a chair.

"I take it that you're the angel in disguise," said Shigeru.

"Hey, I did my part 'cause those cherubs demanded me to keep you guys safe and pure before anything else happened."

"My cousins...," said Futaba. "They're gonna be coming after me soon..."

"Tsukitama and Tsuchikuro have abused their power in the Kingdom by the River for three years now and it's about time that you guys put a dent in them the moment you get your butts back to Alecrast."

"And what about that Elder who officiated our wedding last night? Is he new to the Order?"

"Sam Winchester is the youngest Elder of the Order, but he's well-known because of the raw power he has in him. The guy recently welcomed his sons yesterday, but he's been stuck with an injury after going into that derelict just to put a stop to Severin Thrippe. Hey, I know the bastard, but I know for a fact that he's got a prosthetic limp to replace the arm that he lost in that scuffle in the Factory of Death not too long ago. Still, before we do anything, we have to nip Severin in the bud before he launches another all-out assault against yours truly in the hospital. We can't let all of this slide 'cause Abaddon's been gaining ground against her enemies by stealing innocent souls and converting them into demons. This isn't the first time it happened, but in the time of the Elder Days, it happened _twice_: once before the Order Slaughter and again during the Angel Expulsion. We have to tell the rest of the Order and hit every single soul factory and dealer before it's too late and seeing a person without his or her soul isn't pretty."

Shigeru and Futaba saw Taraniel disappear without a trace as they had to put out one threat at a time. The presence of Abaddon and the Army of Cain had to be stopped as the soul factories had to be nipped in the bud first before doing anything next. It was the least that Shigeru and Futaba would do as they had to get to the hospital and tell me off the bat before it was too late...

* * *

I woke up as I was placed in an examination room in which I felt my right arm in pain. When I looked at the clock, I saw it to be eight in the morning as I was still reeling from a pep talk from the Medical Corps who caught me in the middle of the night. When I sat up on the examination table that I laid on, I saw Reuben come into the room as he was ready to give me a much sterner lecture than normal, for he didn't want me to go off out in the open too much due to the injury that I had.

"I take it that you're still not too happy with me, are you?" I said.

"Sucking up won't work, Sam," said Reuben as he was sitting at a desk. "You can't just go wandering off due to the fact that you sustained an injury not too long ago."

"A member of the Rakuen Priesthood was after Shigeru in which she wanted to kill him if he didn't agree with marrying Futaba."

"What did you say?"

"Last night, I officiated a wedding between Shigeru and Futaba, who was once masquerading as a burlesque dancer, but I did it because of the destiny that they have in order to topple the false rulers of the Kingdom by the River. There was also an angel that was on hand into protecting the future princess over the three years she was saved from having her soul extracted from the tradesman who bought her."

"I knew it... The Kingdom by the River has been in the huge melting pot of corruption since the former Dominus' niece and nephew took over and usurped him three years ago. It makes sense that they've even sprouting gambling dens and brothels all over the region in which the current rulers show no regard of their citizens, only their own greed."

I had never expected Reuben to show disdain towards the ones who hoodwinked Shigeru as I also knew about the corruption that went on in the Kingdom by the River. Still, I wanted to know more about what went on there as I was also most likely to be intervening into restoring Futaba to the throne in order to cement her place into stamping out the filth that went on there. It was yet another problem that I had to face, but I also had a feeling that I would run into some trouble the moment I bring my family back to Alecrast. I was an Elder of the Order of Letters, but I also had to make sure that no form of corruption would fester out in the open the moment I vowed to get Shigeru and Futaba towards their true destiny. When I was about to leave the examination room, I was stopped by Reuben as he wasn't about to let me out of sight sooner or later.

"You're not going anywhere, Sam," he told me as he gently pushed me back down on the examination table. "Just because you have too much to do, doesn't mean that you can go off freely with an injury."

"I just took a long drop towards the abandoned mineshaft under the factory, but I lived to tell the tale," I said. "I also have Reiko and the twins to look after the moment I get out of here."

"If you think your injuries to your right shoulder and hand are bad, the rest of you is much worse."

"What are you talking about?"

"I looked at your x-rays and the rest of you is _not_ a pretty sight."

I saw Reuben show the images of my body on screen as I had a feeling that I took a turn for the worst. I saw my heart up close as if it was just like Daisuke told me before Christmas on my last examination. My heart was twitching indeed, but it was something that could never be ignored as I was about to be delivered the worst news that I ever had on me. I had a feeling that I would most likely be sitting things out instead of being with the crowd as I couldn't ignore what I saw on screen. It wasn't long until I heard footsteps coming towards the examination room as I sat up and saw Shigeru and Futaba rushing in there in order to tell me the news I was dreading for a long time.

"So, you're still under the ringer after being caught last night," said Shigeru.

"I've been probed and prodded, but I'm fine," I said.

"No, you're not," said Reuben sternly. "Your heart can't take the stress you have on you."

"I still live, but I can't let all of the problems in the Order's record books slide."

"Sam," said Futaba. "Let us tell you lightly."

"Futaba..., I have to be in an emergency meeting after this, but-"

"What about your heart?! You _know_ that you're in dire need of rest after what you put yourself through!"

"What the hell, Sam?" said Shigeru as he saw the image of my heart x-ray on screen. "Why didn't you tell us about this?"

"I didn't want to worry you guys too much because of the problems that are on our plates already."

"Does Dean know about this?" I shook my head. "He's gonna know eventually because if he sees this, he's gonna do more than kick your ass in real time."

"This condition in his heart's been going on for years now," said Reuben as he was analyzing the images on screen. "This can't go on, Sam. You can't just mask your condition just because you're okay or fine. This has been going on a lot longer the moment you were put there on Gehenna. You can't let this slide and after this emergency meeting, you're gonna be prepped for another surgery to repair your heart. This is not a joke or a debate and this isn't that 'just a flesh wound' crap because what you've experienced over the years did a toll on your heart. After this emergency meeting, I want you scheduled for heart surgery, is that clear?"

I reluctantly agreed as I was most likely to endure something that I didn't want so far. I didn't have time to be in another surgery as I was about to be put under the ringer with all the responsibilities that I had to muster. Just as I was about to get off of the examination table, I felt the pain in my shoulder flare up again as I fell onto the floor. It wasn't a pretty sight for me, but I had to deal with it as I was on my feet. I wasn't in fine fettle at all as I had all my responsibilities in a bundle, for I had to take care of my family's needs as well as my own.

By the time I was done hearing that stern lecture, I noticed Taraniel come into the room as he placed his hand on my chest in which the condition I suffered from was gone in an instant. The twitching in my heart was gone as I was staring at the angel who protected Futaba all those years ago. He was no stranger in being an angel of the Lord, but he has his own reasons into making sure that I didn't fall under the pressure of my position as an Elder of the Order.

"It's a start, but at least you don't have the burden in your ticker anymore," he said.

"You could've healed my shoulder and hand, you know." I said.

"Sorry, but the shoulder and hand are gonna have to wait and besides, you've done enough stuff already. Give it a rest, will you?"

"So, Sam's stuck with his past injuries, isn't he?" said Reuben.

"The shoulder and hand will take longer, but he can't shoulder the burden of his responsibilities alone. He's not Superman, you know."  
"I heard that," I said.

"Hey, injured and bothered," said Shigeru. "Of all the responsibilities that you could muster, you sure did something for me of all people."

"I know what I did and at least we all don't have to worry Marthona harping all over you."

"Sam, let us do the leg work for you," said Futaba. "Besides, you can't just play Superman forever."

I heard all of that advice come into fruition as I saw Shigeru and Futaba holding hands while Reuben and Taraniel were staring at the x-rays on screen. I had my work cut out for me for a while, for the time of the emergency meeting was about to begin soon enough...

**To be continued...**


End file.
